Standard and preventive eye care is fundamental to having good eye health eventually. From investing in preventive and protective eyewear to understanding how different eye problems can affect the visual acuity of a person, being cognizant of some standard conditions and their symptoms is vital. Eye problems apart from visual acuity can be challenging to treat, but with accurate diagnosis and regular check-ups, one can gradually move towards healing. Since most people can tell when they have trouble with their vision if it suddenly or gradually begins to deteriorate, they can head out to get treatment. A condition that is often overlooked because it is often only apparent when focusing on lights is Astigmatism.
A standard example to show what Astigmatism may look like is if a person is driving through a highway at night and the lights from the cars before them appear to be blurry and have the appearance of vertical lines running through them while focusing. Since it is a condition that affects the ability of the eye to focus on light, it can lead the person to recurrently develop a habit of squinting along with headaches. Being treatable, one can combat Astigmatism by investing in the right corrective lenses or treatments. Let us look closer into what is Astigmatism and how it can be treated.
What Is Astigmatism?
Astigmatism can be defined as a refractive fault caused by problems in the shape of a person’s cornea or lens. It is the inability of a person to focus on lights, which causes them to appear distorted, bent, or blurred. There are two kinds of Astigmatism:
• Corneal Astigmatism: Deformed Cornea
• Lenticular Astigmatism: Deformed Lens
In understanding what is astigmatism, one should also be aware of the causes of astigmatism and how one can treat the same.
Causes of Astigmatism
The cornea of a person without Astigmatism is shaped like a symmetrical round shape, but for those with the condition, the cornea is egg-shaped. If the cornea were divided by two meridians across each other, a way to understand Astigmatism would be to note that one meridian is more curved than the other. Astigmatism can also occur due to a deformity in the shape of the lens inside the eye, but it is rarer than its more common corneal condition.
The result of this corneal deformity leads to the patient being unable to accurately focus on lights, as the retina fails to equally focus leading to a blurred or linear appearance of the light. One may develop this condition along with Myopia (near-sightedness) or Hyperopia (far-sightedness) and it can be easily diagnosed with the help of a standard eye examination. It is important to note that Astigmatism is a refractive problem and not an eye disease. It is a common condition, where corneal shape differing is the main cause. It may be a condition that is more prone to being inherited, but one can also develop it if one has an eye injury.
Symptoms of Astigmatism
• Blurry or distorted vision (appearance of vertical lines next to lights)
• Headaches
• Eye Strain or Discomfort
• Repeated tendency to squint while focussing
It is important to know that despite knowing what is astigmatism, the symptoms may not always point towards the condition. Adults are more likely to be able to identify if they have Astigmatism, but children may not be able to determine the same. Therefore it is important to go for routine check-ups and eye exams.
Treatment for Astigmatism
Astigmatism is a condition that can be corrected with the help of contact lenses, eyeglasses, or even refractive surgery. Ophthalmologists prescribe soft Toric Contact Lenses which are designed keeping in mind the deformed cornea so it can correct the refractive error caused by the same. Toric lenses are great as an alternative to invasive refractive surgery, as they are equipped to rotate to the ideal corrective angle when placed on the eye.
Conditions like Astigmatism can be treated and corrected with the help of due check-ups and the right prescription lenses. One can head over to Titan Eyeplus for consultations and purchase the ideal corrective lenses as per your need from the best global and home-grown eye care brands.