What is it?
Astigmatism takes place when the front part of the eye, properly termed the cornea, is not a uniform even global shape. Alternatively, its form is rather similar to that of the back of a spoon - longer in one fashion than another. Due to the fact that the cornea is an wavy form, the eye can’t focus light passing through it sharply on to the back of the eye or retina. So vision is obscured at all distances.
What causes it?
As the eye develops in the womb, several factors determine the shape of it, including transmitted genetic factors and surroundings. It would seem that these factors can lead to an wavy curve of the cornea, although the exact cause isn’t known.
Who’s affected?
Actually most of us have an astigmatism - but generally it is very mild
Astigmatism is not unusual and is usually present when a person is born. Most people have a unimportant astigmatism - it’s rare for the cornea to have formed in a perfectly symmetrical mode. But in mild cases, the eye can adjust to focus light adequately.
In many examples of astigmatism the individual also has accompanied optical problems like short-sightedness or long-sightedness. Two-thirds of people with short-sightedness also have significant astigmatism.
What are the symptoms?
In severe astigmatism, vision is fuzzy or distorted whether the person is reading close up or looking further into the distance.
In milder cases the person may complain their vision is obscure at certain distances, that they’ve tired or dry eyes, that it’s a struggle to focus or read, or that they’ve headaches, especially when trying to focus.
How is it diagnosed?
Astigmatism should be diagnosed by a certified optometrist, ophthalmic surgeon or eye specialist. A good optometric examination should be done to assess the degree and extent of the problem.
Small children, who mightn’t be able to deal with the optometrist’s interrogations about what they can see, can be assessed using a test called retinoscopy that involves reflected light.
What’s the treatment?
Most of the time, Using contact lenses or glasses, which have been bespokely designed, you can sort out most cases of astigmatism.
If the astigmatism isn’t too bad, it may not require treatment at all - unless of course it is critical to your work that you have perfect vision or that you are likely to tire, in which case a mild astigmatism may become more severe.
There are instances when you will be able to surgically correct your astigmatism using a technique termed refractive surgery.
Some may choose laser surgery. Try to obtain a balanced view about how good or dangerous laser surgery may be by speaking to your surgeon first.
