Astigmatism is a common eye condition that occurs when the parts of the eye responsible for reflecting light onto the back of your eye are not perfectly spherical. This can cause blurry or distorted vision.
Your optometrist will test you for astigmatism during a comprehensive eye exam. Luckily, there are multiple effective treatments for astigmatism, and your optometrist can help you find the one for you and your lifestyle.
What Is Astigmatism?
About 30% of Americans have astigmatism, which, like nearsightedness and farsightedness, is a refractive error. Refractive errors are eye disorders that happen when the shape of the eye cannot properly focus light on the retina, a tissue at the back of the eye.
Astigmatism occurs when the eye’s cornea or lens is improperly shaped. When the cornea or lens is abnormally shaped, the eye can’t focus light properly, making vision blurry.
Unlike nearsightedness, where things close up can be seen clearly, and things far away seem blurry, astigmatism leads to trouble seeing objects close up and far away. However, both conditions are caused by the same thing: a misshapen cornea or lens.
What Causes Astigmatism?
Astigmatism can have different causes. However, studies have shown that one major cause of astigmatism is genetics. Genetic astigmatism usually develops in children and young adults. Since vision is crucial for children’s learning, it is important to keep up with regular eye exams for your child so astigmatism can be detected early.
While genetic factors are the most common cause of astigmatism, it can also be caused by other factors. Eye injuries and complications after eye surgery that lead to changes in the shape of the lens or cornea can both cause astigmatism. If you’ve experienced changes in your vision after an eye injury or eye surgery, consult an optometrist immediately.
What Are the Symptoms of Astigmatism?
Astigmatism can come with a variety of different symptoms. Some common symptoms of astigmatism include:
- Blurry vision
- Eye strain
- Headaches
- Frequent squinting
- Eye pain and discomfort
How Do Optometrists Test for Astigmatism?
Optometrists will make sure to test for astigmatism during your routine eye exam. Optometrists use several tests to check for astigmatism. Some common tests used to diagnose astigmatism include refraction tests, astigmatism charts, auto refractors, and retinoscopes.
Refraction Tests
A refraction test involves placing different lenses in front of your eyes to determine your prescription. Optometrists can use specific lenses to identify astigmatism and assess the degree of the curvature irregularity.
Astigmatism Charts
An astigmatism chart is a special chart with lines oriented at different angles. If you have astigmatism, some lines may appear blurry or distorted while others are clear.
Computerized Auto Refractors
A machine measures the shape and size of your eye using light. These measurements are used to identify any irregularities in your eye shape.
Retinoscopy
During a retinoscopy, an optometrist shines a light into your eyes and observes how the light reflects. If the reflections are inconsistent with a normal eye shape, you may have astigmatism.
How Is Astigmatism Treated?
If astigmatism is mild, you may not require any kind of treatment. However, there are surgical and non-surgical treatments for cases of astigmatism that cause visual impairment. Both options are effective, and the one that is right for you depends on your lifestyle and personal needs.
Non-Surgical Treatments
Non-surgical treatments for astigmatism involve contacts and eyeglasses. Either option works well, but the one that is best for you will depend on your eye health needs and lifestyle.
- Eyeglasses: Eyeglasses for astigmatism will contain lenses with multiple prescriptions. These lenses can help you see close up and far away. They are called multifocal lenses.
- Soft Contact Lenses: Soft contacts for astigmatism are custom-fit to your cornea. These contacts work by correcting how light is refracted through the cornea so that it is properly reflected onto the back of the eye.
- Ortho-K Contact Lenses: Orthokeratology (Ortho-k) contacts can also treat astigmatism. They are worn at night and work by temporarily reshaping the cornea to a more correct shape.
Surgical Treatments
In severe cases, glasses and contacts may not work for people with astigmatism. Laser eye surgery may work well for people with severe astigmatism or those who do not want to wear glasses or contacts.
During laser eye surgery, an ophthalmologist will use lasers to reshape your cornea or lens to fix irregularities and obtain a normal corneal or lens shape. Recovery times from laser eye surgery are usually short, which is another benefit of choosing this surgical option.
Find a Solution for You
Untreated astigmatism can cause many negative symptoms and make your daily life harder, but it doesn’t have to. At Total Vision Hercules, we offer surgical and non-surgical astigmatism treatments so you can find a solution that works for your eye health needs.
You can contact us to learn more about our approach to astigmatism treatments or book an appointment for comprehensive eye exams for you and your whole family.
