A Closer Look at Astigmatism

Astigmatism is a common vision problem that is thought to affect about one in three people. While not everyone with astigmatism—which is caused by a misshaped cornea—require corrective eyewear, those with more extreme astigmatism can experience blurred vision at all distances in addition to headaches, eye strain and fatigue.

Although many people have irregularly shaped corneas to some extent, a “normal” cornea is rounded with even curves on all sides. In people with pronounced astigmatism, the cornea is shaped more like a football or the back of a spoon.

Astigmatism is thought to be primarily hereditary, but some people can develop astigmatism later in life. Astigmatism often affects people who also experience myopia (nearsightedness) or hyperopia (farsightedness).

There are a number of treatments available for astigmatism. A consultation with an experienced ophthalmologist can determine which option is best suited for your needs.

The most common astigmatism treatments are:

• Corrective eyewear: Glasses or contacts can correct for astigmatism, but prescriptions must be changed to adjust to your evolving astigmatism
• LASIK surgery: In which a laser is used to reshape your cornea; effects are typically permanent, although some patients may require corrective eyewear for natural, age-related vision loss
• PRK surgery: Similar to LASIK, but removes the outer layer of the eye’s surface to adjust the cornea rather than creating a flap to access the cornea

If you would like to learn more about astigmatism correction options, please contact an ophthalmologist near you.