What is astigmatism?
Astigmatism is a refractive error that occurs when your eyes can't properly focus light. Usually, astigmatism sufferers have myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), or both.
Blurry vision is the most common symptom of astigmatism, but you might also experience one or more of the following.
- Eye strain
- Headaches
- Poor night vision
- Needing to squint to see
Astigmatism is extremely common, but its degree can vary widely. Mild astigmatism might not cause any symptoms, but severe astigmatism may cause vision blurriness at all distances, along with all the other symptoms.
Why do I have astigmatism?
If you have astigmatism, your corneas — the front part of your eye — are oval instead of round. The oval shape interferes with light focusing on your retina — the light-sensitive cells at the back of your eyes.
There are many possible causes of irregular cornea shape, including genetics, eye trauma, eye disease, and eye surgery.
How does the eye doctor diagnose astigmatism?
Your Classic Vision Care optometrist performs a comprehensive eye exam to diagnose astigmatism. Testing to diagnose astigmatism may include:
- Corneal topography, a map of your cornea
- Keratometry, a corneal curvature measurement
- Retinoscopy, a check of light reflection off your retina
During your exam, your optometrist also determines your eyeglasses or contact lens prescription, if you need one.
How is astigmatism corrected?
Your astigmatism treatment depends on your individual situation.
New prescription
In most cases, customized glasses or contact lens correct problems associated with astigmatism.
Orthokeratology (ortho-k)
In some cases, your optometrist might recommend a treatment called ortho-k, in which you wear rigid contact lenses every night to reshape your corneas. Ortho-k is also used for nearsightedness, farsightedness, and presbyopia, which is blurry close-up vision problems that usually develop around age 40.
Surgery
For severe astigmatism, your optometrist might recommend eye surgery like laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). Although LASIK does offer long-term astigmatism correction, it’s not right for everyone.
If other types of astigmatism correction don’t work well for you, your optometrist can determine if you’re a good surgery candidate and then refer you to an ophthalmologist — a medical doctor who specializes in eye surgery — for the surgery.
Your Classic Vision Care optometrist creates customized astigmatism solutions for you.
Don’t let astigmatism keep you from clear vision. Call the Classic Vision Care location nearest you or book an appointment online anytime for help.
