Most vision problems are caused by some form of irregularly shaped eyeballs, and astigmatism is among the most common. If you're experiencing blurry vision both close up and far away, you may have astigmatism. It can also cause headaches and eyestrain, and can affect students' ability to concentrate and work in school. It's easily correctible, but fixing it means seeing an optometrist.
Elko Eye Doctor Explains Astigmatism
It's very rare to find perfectly round eyeballs. Most are slightly flattened in one direction or another, causing blurry vision. When an eyeball is shaped like an oval instead of being round, the result is a case of astigmatism. Because the eyeball is not perfectly round, the light is distorted as it hits your eyes, and the result is blurry vision. Astigmatism can happen at any age, and it causes blurriness both up close and far away.
No one is exactly sure why some eyes are oval shaped to create astigmatism, but it is known to be hereditary. If your parents have astigmatism, that doesn't mean you're doomed to wearing eyeglasses for the rest of your life, but your eye doctor can perform the necessary tests to determine how much astigmatism you may have and if glasses are necessary.
Diagnosing Astigmatism at Total Eyecare
The only way to know for sure whether your blurry vision means astigmatism is by visiting an optometrist and having an eye exam. At Total Eyecare, our eye doctors can perform a few painless tests that can determine the cause of your vision problems. A topography and keratometry measurement will be taken of your eyes to determine the shape of the cornea and any possible astigmatism. These measurements also help the doctor to diagnose progressive diseases of the cornea such as keratoconus, which can cause very irregular astigmatism and blurry vision.
Astigmatism Treatment with Our Elko Optometrist
Almost every patient who experiences astigmatism can have his/her eyes corrected with a variety of methods, just like those who are nearsighted or farsighted. Your correction options include:
- Eyeglass Lenses for astigmatism have a different prescription in one direction than they do in another, which corrects the distortion that's causing the blurriness. For patients who are over 40 years of age, bifocal or progressive lenses may be necessary
- Contact Lenses Contact lenses made for astigmatism are called toric lenses. Like eyeglasses, they have a different prescription in multiple parts of the lens. A small weight is formed in the bottom of the lens to keep it right side up on the eye. This weight is so small patients never feel it, but it's just enough to keep the contact lens in the right position
- LASIK Surgery A more permanent solution, LASIK can reshape the cornea to eliminate astigmatism in most cases
For more information about astigmatism treatment, call Total Eyecare today at (775) 738-8491.