Do you have astigmatism? Maybe you already know about this concept if you are wearing glasses or contact lenses.
If you are but are not quite familiar with astigmatism, keep reading this article. Here we will learn seven interesting facts that you didn’t know about astigmatism, including the common symptoms and how you can treat them.
Astigmatism Due to an Irregularly Shaped Cornea
Astigmatism is a condition where you usually experience out-of-focus eyesight at any distance. This is because your cornea (the transparent part of the eye), instead of a normal spherical structure, is now a football-shaped structure of an emmetropic eye.
An emmetropic eye means that the light rays that enter the eye give a perfect focus on the retina, which basically is the ideal vision. So if you have a regular round-shaped cornea, then your eye can properly control the light that comes in, so that gives you a clear vision. But if you have an irregularly-shaped cornea, then the light that comes in is unevenly distributed, so you get blurred vision.
Astigmatism Seems to Be Genetic
An irregularly shaped cornea is a genetic trait, just like having a specific color or the eyes. If you’re starting to get blurry vision, it is likely to progress and may need treatment to avoid complications.
Astigmatism Has Unclear Cause
Even if experts already know that the main cause of why you’re getting a blurry vision is an irregularly shaped cornea, the root cause of why a person is prone to having one is still unclear. What’s clear is that it’s genetic and you’re born with astigmatism. Although in some cases, eye trauma can shift and force the shape of the cornea. But take note, astigmatism isn’t caused by watching television too closely.
Symptoms of Astigmatism Are Easy to Miss
One of the most common symptoms of having astigmatism is blurry vision. But this can be really mild for some people, that’s why their condition usually goes unnoticed.
You may also experience headaches and eye fatigue, which can be easily overlooked because of another existing issue like exposing your eyes to the computer screen for a long period of time.
This is why it is important to take note of these symptoms that affect your overall vision. There are also events that can progress your blurry vision such as too much exposure to electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets, laptops, and even reading a book in low light may provoke your condition.
The best thing you can do is to check with your optometrist to know what exactly is happening.
Catching Symptoms Can Help Avoid Complications
What’s crucial when you have astigmatism is to catch it early to prevent serious complications. This is especially true in children, which, if left untreated, can cause a permanent eye condition called amblyopia, commonly known as lazy eyes.
That is why it is important to always have a regular eye checkup so your optometrist can recommend treatments to avoid complications later in life.
An Optometrist Can Easily Detect Astigmatism
Optometrists can help you understand why you may be having blurry vision in the first place. They can perform a comprehensive eye test, ask you to read letters out loud using an eye distance chart and measure your visual acuity or the ability of your eye to make out shapes and details.
A set of lenses with different grades will also be placed over your eyes to test your ability to focus. A corneal topography exam can also be performed by your doctor to measure the other unique qualities of your eyes. Through these tests, your optometrist will be able to detect if you have astigmatism or other eye conditions.
3 Types of Astigmatism
- Myopic Astigmatism – This type of astigmatism happens when the light rays become focused even before it reaches your eye, just like regular myopia.
- Hyperopic Astigmatism – This type of astigmatism occurs when one or both of your eye’s meridians (the invisible lines that run from the top to bottom, left to right) are hard to see clearly when up close or farsighted.
- Mixed Astigmatism – This type of astigmatism happens when one meridian is nearsighted and the other one is farsighted.
Conclusion
Astigmatism is an eye condition where the cornea of one or both eyes are irregularly shaped and perceive an unevenly distributed light inside your eyes, resulting in blurry vision. Anyone can get it and can be genetically transferred. The good thing is that an optometrist can do a series of tests to make sure that it is astigmatism and apply the necessary treatments to your eyes to prevent complications.
Valley Laser Eye Centre is a vision correction centre with the best ophthalmologist in Abbotsford. Our state-of-the-art technology facility offers a comfortable setting and has an amazing staff that delivers a seamless vision clinic experience. Book a consultation today.
Disclaimer: This blog post does not replace medical advice and should not be implemented prior to consulting a fully certified medical professional.
