Astigmatism, a refractive error that can cause blurry vision, affects about 1 in 3 Americans today. If you suffer from astigmatism, it’s important to get the right lenses to correct your vision. At Classic Vision Care, with two Marietta locations and another office in Kennesaw, Georgia, skilled optometric doctors diagnose and correct astigmatism using today’s most advanced technology. Click the online scheduler to book anytime, or call one of the three locations to schedule an appointment today.
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.
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.
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.
Your Classic Vision Care optometrist performs a comprehensive eye exam to diagnose astigmatism. Testing to diagnose astigmatism may include:
During your exam, your optometrist also determines your eyeglasses or contact lens prescription, if you need one.
Your astigmatism treatment depends on your individual situation.
In most cases, customized glasses or contact lens correct problems associated with astigmatism.
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.
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.