When a person is diagnosed with astigmatism, it pretty much means that their eye is not round completely. To some degree, most people do have this condition. The good news is that it can be easily corrected by wearing eyeglasses. If you feel that you are suffering from astigmatism, please give us a call here at Optics&EYECARE in Ashburn, VA for an eye exam with an optometrist.
What causes astigmatism?
Believe it or not, most people are born with astigmatism. However, many experts are not sure why. There are certain situations that may cause a person to develop it after surgery, an injury to the eye, or even from an eye disease. There is a condition known as keratoconus, which is rare, that can also cause astigmatism. Keratoconus causes the cornea of the eye to form into a cone shape and become extremely thin. It is not possible to develop astigmatism from sitting too close to the TV or reading in dim light.
Symptoms associated with astigmatism may include:
- Headaches
- Eyestrain
- Blurry vision
- Trouble seeing at night
Diagnosis & Treatment
Symptoms may begin gradually. If you notice any changes in your vision, you should schedule an appointment with an optometrist. They will be able to give you a complete eye exam and test your eyesight sharpness by having you read an eye chart. There are also other tools that they will use such as a phoropter, keratometer, an autorefractor to measure your vision.
Again, contacts or glasses can treat most cases of astigmatism. For those that have only a slight form of astigmatism, glasses may not be necessary if there are no other vision problems.
Other treatments for astigmatism include:
- Corrective lenses- This simply means either contacts or glasses. Your eye doctor will probably recommend toric lenses which are softer contact lenses. However, if you have a more severe case, you may benefit from gas-permeable rigid contact lenses. These lenses will be worn while you sleep.
- Refractive surgery- This is a type of laser surgery that helps to change your cornea’s shape. LASIK and PRK are two types of refractive surgeries. However, you will need healthy eyes with no issues or scarring in order to qualify as a good candidate for either surgery.
Contact Optics&EYECARE Today!
Contact us today if you are in the Ashburn, VA area to schedule an appointment with one of our eye doctors. You can visit our Optics&EYECARE website for a full list of services we offer to our patients. Issues such as astigmatism can easily be corrected with eyeglasses unless you have a more severe form that may require surgery. An optometrist will be able to give you an exam to find out what treatment is best for you.