With the current lifestyle people lead today, working with computers for hours and hours is a normal part of their routine. As such, some people may experience having headaches, blurred vision, and feel eye strain. Is what you are experiencing astigmatism?

What is astigmatism?

This is a condition of the eyes wherein a person’s cornea is not shaped properly. As a result, when light enters a person’s eye, it cannot be focussed correctly on the retina. This results in blurred or distorted vision. There are also some cases wherein instead of the cornea, it is actually the lens of the eye (located behind the cornea) which is irregularly shaped. Corneal astigmatism is when the cornea of a person’s eye is irregularly shaped, and lenticular astigmatism is when the lens of the eyes is irregularly shaped.

What causes astigmatism?

There are different causes of astigmatism depending on its type.

• Corneal astigmatism

There is no direct reason why people are born with corneal astigmatism. There are studies that indicate that babies have a higher chance of having corneal astigmatism if they have one parent that has this condition. Also, babies born prematurely and those which have a lower bodyweight than normal also have a higher chance of having corneal astigmatism. In some cases, eye surgery or injuries to the eye may also cause scarring of the cornea, resulting to its irregular shape.

• Lenticular astigmatism

Lenticular astigmatism is pretty much the same with corneal astigmatism, except that the irregularity in shape is in the lens rather than the cornea. When the lens does not curve properly, images reach the person’s retina in an imperfect manner. Most of the time, people with lenticular astigmatism have a perfectly shaped cornea but their lens are imperfectly shaped. Lenticular astigmatism is often seen with people who have diabetes. This is because the shape of a person’s lens can change due to high levels of blood sugar. The shape of a person’s lens also goes back to normal when the person’s blood sugar levels also goes back to normal.

The symptoms of astigmatism

Here are the most common symptoms of astigmatism:

• Having blurred or distorted vision regardless of whether the things you are looking at is near or far.

• Sensitivity to light also known as photophobia.

• When a person has to focus on things for a long period of time, like focusing on a computer monitor or reading a book, strain in the eyes is felt.

• Experiencing headaches after focusing on things after a certain period of time.

• Squinting excessively in order to see or focus on something.

Treatment options for astigmatism

An eye doctor will be able to determine what type of treatment is necessary for astigmatism, depending on the type and severity of the condition.

• Eyeglasses and Contact Lenses

Eye doctors may prescribe wearing eyeglasses and contact lenses in order to correct the way light enters the eye. Whether the patient decides to wear contact lenses or eyeglasses are up to them – the effect is still the same and both methods are equally effective in treating and relieving symptoms of astigmatism. However, exercising proper contact lens care is important or else the patient may end up with eye infections. Also, patients should also ask the eye specialist whether they should wear soft contact lenses, rigid contact lenses, or gas permeable contact lenses.

• Laser Eye Surgery

Laser eye surgery is another option in treating astigmatism. The laser can reshape either the lens or the cornea of the patient, depending on the type of astigmatism. However, laser eye surgery is not for everybody, especially for people under the age of 21, patients who suffer from diabetes, pregnant/breastfeeding mothers, and those who have immune conditions which may make the healing process and recovery from surgery longer and harder. Also, patients who have other eye conditions like cataracts need to be treated first before having laser eye surgery to correct their vision.

Regardless of age, astigmatism can affect anyone. It is therefore important to receive the appropriate eye treatment as soon as possible. Symptoms such as dry eye syndrome should not be taken lightly, and medical advice should be sought out as soon as possible. The sooner you act on your eye condition, the higher the chances you won’t have to suffer from permanent vision problems.