Astigmatism

Astigmatism

A common vision issue is called Astigmatism, and it occurs when the cornea has an irregular shape. Sometimes the curvature of the lens of your eye can also cause astigmatism. It's so common that most people have some degree of astigmatism, and it may not require treatment at all.

The cause of this condition is unknown. Most people who have astigmatism have it from birth, and it may be hereditary. You can have astigmatism with nearsightedness or farsightedness. In fact, it's common to have a combination of eye conditions.

Some people don't even realize they have astigmatism. After all, you can't know exactly how other people see the world, so it's impossible to know that your vision is blurry. Blurred vision combined with headaches can be a symptom of astigmatism.

Because astigmatism can increase over time, you may eventually require treatment even if you didn't before. If your astigmatism is serious enough to require treatment, it's time to contact an optometrist.

Diagnosing and Treating Astigmatism

Your eye doctor will perform tests to verify that you have astigmatism. These checks include an eye exam, measuring the cornea with a keratometer, and use a phoropter to measure how your eye focuses light.

Fortunately, treating astigmatism is often easy. Your eye doctor may suggest glasses or contact lenses to correct the blurry vision caused by your astigmatism. Occasionally, people are fitted with rigid contact lenses to wear against their corneas periodically, such as overnight. This process, known as orthokeratology, provides you with temporary relief of astigmatism and allows your vision to be clearer during daily activities. However, orthokeratology is not a permanent solution.

LASIK surgery can provide a permanent answer to for people with astigmatism. Through use of a laser, your doctor can reshape your cornea. Another procedure PRK (photorefractive keratectomy), removes tissue from your cornea to help improve vision. Other vision correction procedures may also be available.

If you're concerned about astigmatism or other vision problems, it's best to contact an eye doctor sooner rather than later as the conditions can worsen over time.

Find a Highly Qualified LASIK Surgeon

To treat Astigmatism, Nearsightedness and/or Farsightedness we recommend you find your highly qualified LASIK surgeon through our Trusted LASIK Surgeons™ Directory.  Once you find a refractive surgeon closest to you, please contact them directly by calling them or filling out their contact form from their website using the links we provide. 

All LASIK and cataract surgeons featured at Trusted LASIK Surgeons™ are screened to ensure you can find a surgeon who has proven expertise and one with professional accomplishments that have been recognized by their peers. To learn how we screen surgeons, please visit our discussion entitled “How are surgeons screened at Trusted LASIK Surgeons™”?

Most of the LASIK surgeons at featured in our Trusted LASIK Surgeons™ Directory are also expert cataract surgeons and many perform other refractive procedures, like the Kamra Inlay, which can help with reading problems, lens implant procedures, and corneal transplants.  Whatever your vision needs, Trusted LASIK Surgeons™ is here to help you find the best vision correction surgeons in the world.