Astigmatism: Don't Let It Haunt Your Vision

Oct 17

Ghosts, ghouls, and goblins may be haunting your Halloween, but there's another kind of phenomenon lurking in the shadows that might be affecting your vision - astigmatism.

What is Astigmatism?

This common eye condition occurs when the cornea or the lens is shaped differently. Essentially, the cornea, the clear front part of the eye, is not perfectly round. About 95% of the world’s population have some amount of astigmatism. There are several different types of astigmatism: most are horizontal and vertical, but there are also oblique and irregular astigmatisms. Astigmatisms cause light entering the eye to scatter and create multiple focal points, resulting in blurred and distorted vision.

Symptoms of Astigmatism

Astigmatism may not be as overtly spooky as a classic Halloween monster, but it does come with some symptoms:

Blurry, Distorted Vision or Ghosting: Objects at any distance can appear blurred, doubled, or wavy.
Eyestrain: Trying to focus on things can be exhausting and painful.
Headaches: The constant effort to see clearly can lead to frequent headaches.

Astigmatism can be an unwelcome guest in your life, showing up without an invitation. Some astigmatisms have mild symptoms that may go unnoticed. That's why regular eye exams are crucial. Your eye doctor can spot astigmatism and other vision issues early, ensuring that they don't turn into full-blown horrors.

Treatment for Astigmatism

Fortunately, astigmatism can be treated. Treatments are readily available to help you banish this blurry ghost:

Eyeglasses: Glasses work to refocus light in the back of the eye resulting in clearer vision.
Contact Lenses: Specially designed soft toric and RPG (rigid gas permeable) lenses can help you see clearly without glasses.
Refractive Surgery: In some cases, procedures like LASIK can reshape the cornea and adjust the path that light travels though.

This Halloween, let's banish astigmatism to the shadows, and bring your clear, crisp vision back into the light. Contact us today to schedule an eye exam and unmask the mysteries of your vision.

Sources:

https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/what-is-astigmatism

https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/astigmatism