Astigmatism Meaning: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Astigmatism is the technical term that describes the condition of the eye. It may sound like a serious disease, but fortunately it is not. Astigmatism occurs when the eyeball is oval rather than round in shape, which of course has an adverse effect on the focus of an object on the retina. A common analogy is to compare a basketball to an oval American football. The eye that suffers from astigmatism looks more like an American football. It is clearly not yet a dramatic condition, but in this way we can still make a good analogy to illustrate the difference. This problem with vision causes objects to appear more distorted and somewhat dim. Images can have a shadow, making them almost have a double appearance. It is in fact a fairly common problem that most people will encounter at some point in their lives, and it can occur in both farsightedness and nearsightedness. But for the rest, you don't have to worry, because astigmatism can be easily corrected either by wearing glasses, contact lenses or, if necessary, by surgery. **How is astigmatism diagnosed?** The first signs of astigmatism might be that your vision becomes blurred at a distance as well as up close. You may see the letters and words become distorted after reading a book, newspaper or other texts or working too long at the computer or a screen. Lifting your head and nodding with it can make the distorted vision a little better, at least when this problem is caused by astigmatism. When you go to the doctor for your annual routine checkup, you can ask him to test your eyes for both farsightedness and nearsightedness. This is done by having you look through a machine and having to say which image is best, number one or number two. This test also looks for possible cases of astigmatism. The doctor can use a manual or automatic keratometer to measure the curves of the cornea, and this will make it clear, even with just a basic eye examination, whether or not you are suffering from astigmatism. This instrument creates a map with a code with colors on the cornea, which can be compared to the code used to make a topographic map of mountains. Steeper areas are indicated in red and flat areas in blue. These codes will show any form of astigmatism and also its severity. An aberrometer can also be used to measure the waves in order to give the optometrist a clear diagnosis of the errors and abnormalities of the eye, which he can then work on to give correct advice. To find out after the examination whether you suffer from astigmatism, you simply have to look at the prescription that the doctor has given you. The 'Cyl' box will show the power you need to correct your astigmatism, if you have any. 'Axis' tells the maker of the glasses or contact lenses where the astigmatism is located and with what power it could be corrected. Causes of astigmatism Astigmatism is caused when the cornea of ​​the eye becomes elongated or oval, rather than spherical. A cornea that suffers from astigmatism has two curves, a flat curve and a steep curve, which means that the light is focused on two points and therefore becomes a little more blurred, as opposed to when it focuses on one point and it is clearer. Astigmatism can cause one of these points to be focused in front of the cornea and the second behind it, which means that the images on your retina will look a bit blurry. This is another of the types of astigmatism that has been given the name lenticular astigmatism in the scientific literature. This form of astigmatism is caused by an irregularly shaped crystalline lens, but the results are ultimately the same, namely blurred vision on the retina. **Problems with astigmatism** Astigmatism is one of the most common causes of discomfort when wearing glasses. It may take a while for people to get used to wearing new glasses. It can cause mild disorientation, especially when climbing steps and stairs or looking up. Wearing contact lenses can reduce this discomfort. This makes contact lenses a better option for some people who suffer from astigmatism, especially when it comes to a high degree of astigmatism. **Is there a treatment for astigmatism?** Astigmatism can be easily corrected by wearing glasses, contact lenses or, as a last resort, surgery. Glasses are still the most common treatment and if the examination is carried out properly and you listen to a specialist, this will give a good result. A coating with an anti-reflective layer can also help to reduce the shine and halos that people who suffer from astigmatism sometimes see in bright light. Contact lenses can certainly be the best solution for some people who suffer from astigmatism. In this case, it mainly concerns the so-called toric contact lenses. These were specially designed to stay in one place on the eye in order to correct the curve rather than rotate. People who suffer from a high degree of astigmatism may find that rigid gas-permeable contact lenses are the most effective treatment. In the meantime, new hybrid lenses have also been developed that have a rigid center and a soft outer ring. They combine the benefits of a rigid lens combined with the comfort of a soft lens. However, it is necessary to keep the eyes moist by using a large amount of eye drops. Surgery is an increasingly popular choice to correct astigmatism. Here, Wavefront Lasik is the most common procedure, which uses three-dimensional measurements of the eye to guide the reader to reshape the front part of the eye, also known as the cornea.