Astigmatism Isn't That Bad

Astigmatism Isn't That Bad

Astigmatism is an optical imperfection that prevents the eye from properly focusing light, caused by irregularities in the shape of a person’s cornea. Instead of the cornea have an equally round and symmetrically shape (like a baseball), it is more shaped like a football, with one length being more curved than the other. 
Astigmatism can cause images to be blurred or distorted to some degree in the distance and up close.  Some symptoms include eye strain, headaches, squinting, and trouble driving at night.

There are three main types of astigmatism:

• Myopic astigmatism – one or both principal meridians of the eye are nearsighted. (light coming into the eye comes to focus in front of the eye)

• Hyperopic astigmatism – one or both principal meridians of the eye are farsighted. (light coming into the eye comes to focus behind the eye) 

• Mixed astigmatism – one principal meridian is nearsighted, and the other is farsighted. (light coming into the eye comes to focus in front of and behind the eye) 

Most frequently, the astigmatism is found on the front surface of the eye. In a few cases, a patient may have astigmatism caused by a distortion of the natural lens inside the eye. This is called lenticular astigmatism.

If you have astigmatism, you have a wide range of options to correct your vision problem. In consultation with your optometrist, you can select the treatment that best meets your visual and lifestyle needs. The option available for most patients include: spectacle correction, soft contact lenses, gas permeable contact lenses, or specialty contact lenses to include hybrid contact lenses. 

Toric contact lenses are used to describe soft contact lenses that are designed to correct astigmatism. Toric contacts have different powers in different parts of the lens to correct the varying amounts of nearsightedness or farsightedness in different parts of the eye. These lenses also rotate to the proper alignment on the cornea so the power in the lenses matches the appropriate meridians of the eye for clear vision. Fitting toric contact lenses can take a little longer and typically costs more than a regular lens exam. 

Rigid gas permeable, or RGP, contact lenses can also correct astigmatism, but do not need a toric design like soft contact lenses. RGPs hold their shape on the eye instead of following the irregular shape of the cornea of an eye with astigmatism like soft lenses. This symmetrical front surface of the RGP acts as the primary refracting surface of the eye, correcting astigmatism without the need to control the rotation of the lens. 

Another option for correcting astigmatism is a hybrid contact lenses. Hybrid contact lenses have center made of a rigid gas permeable lens material, surrounded by a soft contact lens material. These lenses provide the best of the both worlds. A patient will receive the sharp vision of an RGP and the comfort of wearing a toric soft contact lens. 

More and more people are looking into LASIK or other refractive surgeries, a medical procedure that can correct vision. LASIK is an option for people with astigmatism. Remember, astigmatism is a misshaping of the cornea and the lasers used for LASIK procedures can be programed to make the eye more spherical. Even high amounts of astigmatism can be corrected with LASIK, though you may have to receive some follow-up enhancements to fine-tune the correction. 

If you are worried or concerned about possible astigmatism give the Mabee Eye Clinic a call to set up a comprehensive eye exam. 

References
Heiting, G. (2018) What is astigmatism? All About Vision. Retrieved February 28, 2020, from https://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/astigmatism.htm
Heiting, G. (2018) What is astigmatism? All About Vision. Retrieved February 28, 2020, from https://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/astigmatism.htm
Thompson, V. (2018).  Can LASIK fix astigmatism? All About Vision. Retrieved March 4, 2020, from https://www.allaboutvision.com/visionsurgery/faq-astigmatism.htm
Heiting, G. (2019).  Contact lenses for astigmatism: Tori, GP and hybrid lenses. All About Vision. Retrieved March 9, 2020, from https://www.allaboutvision.com/contacts/torics.htm