What Do I Do About My Astigmatism?
Astigmatism occurs when light refracts irregularly within the eye's structures, causing it to focus at various points. While some individuals with mild astigmatism may opt not to correct it, incorporating astigmatism correction into your eyewear can improve visual comfort and clarity. In this blog post, we'll delve into the common query: how should I address my astigmatism?
Do I Need to Correct My Astigmatism?
When I inform people they have astigmatism, their first question is often, "Do I HAVE to correct my astigmatism?" Many individuals with low to moderate levels of astigmatism can live comfortably without correction throughout their lives.
While low levels of uncorrected astigmatism usually don't cause significant visual issues, they may result in reduced clarity, impacting daily activities such as work and driving. For individuals, especially children, with higher levels of astigmatism, it's advisable to provide as much correction as possible. This is crucial during development, as the eye and brain are still forming connections. Blurry vision from astigmatism can potentially lead to long-term vision impairment known as amblyopia.
Exploring Your Options
Unlike nearsightedness (myopia) or farsightedness (hyperopia), astigmatism stems from an irregular shape of the cornea or lens, causing light to focus at two different points on the retina rather than a single point. While astigmatism may seem daunting, there are several effective correction options available to improve your vision and alleviate associated symptoms.
Prescription Eyeglasses:
- "Regular Astigmatism," where refracted light converges at two points in the eye, is commonly corrected with glasses. If your prescription includes a number under the "cylinder" or "cyl" category, you likely have astigmatism.
- "Irregular Astigmatism," where refracted light focuses on more than two points in the eye, is not as easily corrected with glasses. While glasses may correct some irregular astigmatism, they may not address all of it.
Contact Lenses:
- Soft Contact Lenses: Soft toric contact lenses effectively address astigmatism, providing clear vision and comfortable wear. Unlike spherical lenses, it's essential to ensure proper rotation of toric contact lenses on the eye for optimal vision. Your optometrist will conduct a contact lens fitting to determine the best fit.
- Specialty Contact Lenses: For individuals with specific eye conditions such as keratoconus, specialty contact lenses like scleral lenses can help manage high or irregular astigmatism.
Refractive Surgery:
- LASIK or PRK: For those seeking a permanent solution, refractive surgeries like LASIK or PRK can reshape the cornea to correct astigmatism. Your local refractive surgeon will perform multiple tests to ensure precise correction.
