Astigmatism is a common eye condition that can be easily corrected with eyeglasses, contact lenses, or surgery. It is a type of refractive error (when the eyes can’t properly focus light on the retina) caused by an irregularly curved cornea. While most people have some degree of astigmatism, significant cases can affect vision and may require specialty treatment.
What is astigmatism?
Normally, the eye is spherical, allowing light to bend evenly and produce a clear image. However, in someone with astigmatism, the eye is shaped more like a football or the back of a spoon. This uneven curvature causes light to refract more in one direction than the other, allowing only part of the object to be in focus at one time. As a result, objects at any distance can appear blurry and wavy.
Astigmatism symptoms
People with undetected astigmatism often experience headaches, fatigue, eye strain, and blurred vision at all distances. While these symptoms may not necessarily be the result of astigmatism, you should schedule a comprehensive eye exam if you are experiencing one or more symptoms.
What causes astigmatism?
Astigmatism can be hereditary and is often present at birth. It can also result from pressure from the eyelids on the cornea, incorrect posture, or increased use of the eyes for close work.
Diagnosing astigmatism
Your optometrist can diagnose astigmatism during a thorough eye exam. Astigmatism may occur with other refractive errors such as myopia (nearsightedness) and hyperopia (farsightedness). Unfortunately, astigmatism often goes undetected in school-age children.
Because astigmatism may increase slowly, you should visit your ophthalmologist or ophthalmologist whenever you notice significant changes in your vision. Ophthalmologists provide total eye care, including exams, diagnosis, and treatment of disease through medication and surgery.
Astigmatism treatment
Almost all degrees of astigmatism can be corrected with properly prescribed eyeglasses or contact lenses. For a person with only a slight degree of astigmatism, corrective lenses may not be needed at all, as long as other conditions such as nearsightedness or farsightedness are not present. If the astigmatism is moderate to high, however, corrective lenses are probably needed.
Toric contact lenses
To correct astigmatism, eye doctors often prescribe special lenses called toric lenses. These lenses have different levels of curvature to bend light more precisely in one direction than the other. After performing various tests, your eye doctor will determine the ideal toric lens prescription for your astigmatism.
Refractive surgery
Another method for correcting astigmatism is by changing the shape of the cornea through refractive or laser eye surgery. There are several types of refractive procedures, and your eye doctor will recommend the one best suited to your individual needs.
Refractive surgeries require healthy eyes that are free from retinal problems, corneal scars, and any eye disease. As technology progresses, it is becoming increasingly important that you explore all options and possibilities before deciding which refractive surgery and treatment is right for you.
Expert eye care for better vision
At Vision Salon Eye Care Associates in Blue Island, our experienced team provides thorough eye exams and personalized treatment options to help you see clearly and comfortably with astigmatism. Schedule your appointment today to learn more about your vision and explore the best solutions for correcting astigmatism.
