Astigmatism

What is astigmatism?

When the curvature of your eye is flawed or imperfect and causes blurred vision, you have astigmatism. Many people have astigmatism along with nearsightedness or farsightedness. Astigmatism is common.

If you have astigmatism, you might experience:

• Blurred or distorted vision
• Eye strain or discomfort
• Headaches
• Difficulty with your vision at night
• Squinting

Children might not even notice their vision is blurry and should stay up to date with their recommended eye exams to allow your optometrist to detect any signs of eye-related conditions and problems as soon as possible.

What causes astigmatism?

Astigmatism happens when the lens inside your eye or when your cornea (the front surface of your eye) has curves that are mismatched.

There should be one single curve resembling a round ball. With astigmatism, there’s more of an egg-shaped surface on the curve. The two mismatched curves result in blurred vision at all distances. When light rays aren’t bent properly, a refractive error and blurry image occur.

Astigmatism might happen after a disease, surgery, or an injury. In some cases, astigmatism can be present from birth.

Blurred vision can occur due to inflammation of the eyes. Eye inflammation is often a symptom of an underlying medical condition like ankylosing spondylitis, or an allergy.

Your optometrist assesses your eye health and determines if you have astigmatism. If you do, your optometrist devises an individualized treatment plan to correct your vision and enhance your eye health.

How is astigmatism diagnosed?

Astigmatism is diagnosed with an eye exam that usually involves various tests with different instruments. During your eye exam, your optometrist evaluates your eye health and conducts a refraction test to assess how your eyes bend light.

How is astigmatism treated?

In the treatment of astigmatism, the goal is to improve eye comfort and vision clarity. Even when vision is slightly blurred, it can cause headaches and discomfort and impair your focus and cognitive functioning.

To treat your astigmatism, your optometrist might suggest corrective lenses, such as contact lenses and eyeglasses, to counteract the uneven curvatures of your cornea or lens and correct your vision.

As well as corrective eyewear, there are also effective surgeries to correct the problem. Corrective refractive surgery typically involves the use of a safe and precise laser beam that reshapes the curve of your cornea and corrects the refractive error.

Assess your vision and eye health and call Columbia Eye Associates & Family Focus Eye Care or book an eye exam online today.