What Is Astigmatism?
Astigmatism is
a form of blurred vision, and is an eye condition that results from an irregular
curvature in the outer eye (cornea). Because the eye has an irregular curvature,
light is processed differently, resulting in not one, but two focused image
points on the retina. (The area in the back of the eye that “processes” visual
images.)
As you might guess, two separate processed images means
slightly, moderately or severely blurred vision, in one or both of your eyes.
Symptoms include squinting, eye strain or eye fatigue, and recurring headaches.
Research shows that roughly one in three people suffer from
some form of astigmatism, and that the likelihood of developing the condition
increases with age.
Treatments for astigmatism.
The good news is your eye care professional has a lot of
experience with diagnosing and treating astigmatism. Treatments for astigmatism
usually start with a reading of the traditional eye chart (the “big E” chart,
a.k.a. Snellen chart), but advance through a number of specific eye exam tools.
These tools help determine the exact amount of irregularity in the curvature of
your eye.
With those values determined, the most common treatment for
astigmatism is vision correction using eyeglasses or contact lenses. In both
instances, the lenses are carefully crafted to balance out the astigmatism using
corrective lenses that have different curvatures across different planes.
In other words, these lenses “compensate” for the
irregularity in your eyes. These are also known as “cylindrical” lenses.