This isn’t as alien as it sounds and can easily be corrected with the right glasses prescription. 8 out of 9 people have astigmatism. It can also occur in conjunction with other refractive states such as near-sightedness or farsightedness.
What Is Astigmatism?
Astigmatism has to do with the shape of the front of the eye. Instead of the eye being a perfect sphere, the one part is more curved than the other part.
What Are The Symptoms?
- Blurry vision.
- Needing to squint to see clearly.
- Headaches.
- Eye strain.
- Trouble seeing at night.
These symptoms do not always mean you have astigmatism. See your ophthalmologist for a comprehensive eye exam to find out what is causing your symptoms.
What Causes Astigmatism?
Astigmatism can be present from birth or develop after an eye injury, disease or surgery. Children may not realize they have blurry vision and are unlikely to complain about blurred or distorted vision.
But without treatment, astigmatism can:
- impact a child’s performance in school and sports
- lead to amblyopia (lazy eye) and vision loss
This is why early childhood eye screenings—by a pediatrician, family doctor or other eye care professional—are so important. If astigmatism or another eye problem is found, see an ophthalmologist to get the right treatment.
How Is It Treated?
Each of the misshaped curvatures of the eye can be corrected wit a glasses or contact lens prescription that will enable a single focal point to be focused on the retina, creating a clear image.