Understanding Astigmatism: Symptoms, Treatment Options, and How It Affects Vision

Astigmatism is one cause of blurry vision, which can affect daily life. Fortunately, it can be corrected to restore more normal vision. Our eye doctors can discuss your astigmatism vs. normal vision and discuss corrective options.

What Is Astigmatism?

Astigmatism is an eye condition that makes vision blurry. It’s caused by an irregularly shaped lens or cornea. An eye without astigmatism is evenly round. An eye with astigmatism is elongated in one of two possible ways:

• Horizontal astigmatism occurs when the eye is too wide.
• Vertical astigmatism occurs when the eye is too tall.

The underlying cause of these distortions isn’t always known. Astigmatism may be hereditary and present at birth, but it could also result from an injury or surgery. Rarely it is caused by keratoconus, a progressive thinning of the cornea.

Astigmatism vs. Normal Vision

A normal eye with a perfectly round cornea and lens focuses incoming light on the retina in the back of the eye. Objects look clear, with well-defined edges.

With astigmatism, the misshapen cornea or lens causes light to focus in front of and behind the retina. Objects appear blurry with indistinct edges.

What Are the Symptoms of Astigmatism?

Blurry vision is the most typical symptom of astigmatism. If you have astigmatism, you might also experience:

• Squinting to see more clearly
• Eye strain
• Headaches
• Eye discomfort

How Does Astigmatism Affect Night Vision?

With astigmatism, lights at night can be a particular issue. As the pupil opens wider at night to let in more light, the blurriness and glare caused by astigmatism worsen. When looking at lights at night, you may see a lot of fuzziness, glare, and halos if you have astigmatism.

How Is Astigmatism Diagnosed?

These symptoms are not exclusive to astigmatism, so it’s important to get a diagnosis. Eye doctors use several tools and tests to diagnose astigmatism:

• Visual Acuity Test. By reading an eye chart, doctors can determine your visual acuity. This describes how well you can see at certain distances.
• Phoropter. Eye doctors use a phoropter to place different lenses in front of your eyes. You look into a binocular-like viewer and describe how your vision changes with each lens.
• Refraction Test. Doctors measure refractive error in the eyes using an autorefractor. It shines a light into your eye and measures how it refracts or changes as it reflects off the retina.
• Keratometer. Your eye doctor may use a keratometer to measure the curvature of your cornea, which is important for fitting contact lenses. They may also do a topography scan to produce a more detailed image of distortions in your cornea.

Can Astigmatism Be Corrected? Treatment Options

The blurry vision of astigmatism varies but can cause difficulties in daily life for most people who have it. Children with astigmatism are at risk of academic problems. They may also develop a lazy eye. Fortunately, astigmatism can be corrected with the right treatment.

Eyeglasses and Contact Lenses

Most cases of astigmatism can be easily corrected with lenses. Prescription lenses, either eyeglasses or contact lenses, refocus incoming light so that it hits the retina in the back of the eye.

It’s essential to get the right prescription for your eyes and have it updated regularly. Astigmatism can change over time, so your prescription must also change.

Can LASIK Fix Astigmatism?

Another option is refractive surgery to reshape the cornea. LASIK stands for laser in situ keratomileusis. The procedure uses a laser to remove tissue from the cornea, changing its shape and allowing light to focus correctly on the retina.

LASIK is generally considered safe and effective, but it can cause some side effects, and not everyone is a good candidate. Most people get good results and have better vision for years but ultimately need lenses in certain situations, like low-light conditions. Your eye doctor can discuss the benefits and risks and determine if a surgical procedure is a good option for correcting your astigmatism.

Learn more about astigmatism here. Our ophthalmologist can answer all your questions and provide a diagnosis and treatment options. Contact us to schedule an appointment.