Diagnosing & Treating Your Astigmatism

Astigmatism is a common condition that causes blurred vision and affects millions of people. The cornea and lens of the eye should be smooth and evenly curved in all directions like a baseball in order to properly refract light. If you have astigmatism, the curve of the cornea is irregular and shaped more like a football, with one area steeper than it should be. This causes problems with your vision.

Keep reading to learn your options for correction and treating astigmatism at Key-Whitman Eye Center.

What Is Astigmatism?

Astigmatism is a condition that impairs both distance and close-range vision. There are two types of astigmatism: corneal astigmatism and lenticular astigmatism. Corneal astigmatism is an irregularly shaped cornea. Lenticular astigmatism is an irregularly shaped lens of the eye.

Many people are born with astigmatism, and it may be accompanied by other refractive conditions, such as nearsightedness or farsightedness. Some people may develop astigmatism later in life as a result of eye injury or disease.

What are the Symptoms of Astigmatism?

Astigmatism is often an inherited trait. People who are not born with astigmatism can develop it as a result of eye injury or disease. Symptoms of astigmatism include:

• Blurry vision
• Eyestrain
• Double vision or seeing ghosting around images
• Headaches
• Squinting to see clearly

Simply because you experience these symptoms doesn’t mean you have astigmatism, since these symptoms may also be related to other refractive vision errors. Only your doctor will be able to diagnose the cause of distorted or blurred vision.

How Can Astigmatism be Treated?

Treatment for astigmatism has come a long way over the years. In the past, individuals with astigmatism were confined to rigid (or hard) contact lenses or eyeglasses for vision correction. Today, many patients with astigmatism have the option of toric lenses, which are soft contact lenses. In some cases, LASIK eye surgery can treat astigmatism by reshaping the cornea. Reshaping the cornea will improve how the eye focuses light rays on the retina.

Cataracts & Astigmatism

Patients who have cataracts and astigmatism have the option of a toric intraocular lens implant to replace the lens that is clouded due to cataracts. Toric versions of multifocal lenses can help reduce or eliminate the need for glasses altogether after cataract surgery.

Book a Consultation at Key-Whitman Eye Center Today

A consultation with your eye doctor is necessary to determine the best treatment options for astigmatism and cataracts. Schedule a consultation with our team at Key-Whitman Eye Center to learn more about your options to treat your astigmatism.

Click here to schedule a complimentary consultation with a Key-Whitman Eye Center doctor to determine if you are a candidate for LASIK vision correction surgery.