Astigmatism occurs when your cornea, the transparent outer layer of your eye, has an abnormal shape. It can also happen with your lens, which is the inner portion of your eye. Your vision may become blurry or fuzzy. It is a common eye problem that can be managed with corrective lenses or glasses.

Astigmatism occurs when either the front surface of the eye (cornea) or the lens inside the eye has mismatched curves. Instead of having one curve like a round ball, the surface is egg-shaped. This causes blurred vision at all distances.  Astigmatism is often present at birth and may occur in combination with nearsightedness or farsightedness. 

If you see any changes in your eyes or your vision is not clear as it once was, make an appointment with an eye doctor.

Schedule your appointment with Dr. Jeffrey Porter or Dr. Will Watson – optometrist in Crystal Lake, IL and Harvard, IL

 

Types of Astigmatism

Corneal

The most common cause is an irregularly shaped cornea.

Lenticular

This refers to an uneven shape of the lens of your eye. 

Some have astigmatism in both their lenticular and corneas.

astigmatism blurry vision

Signs and Symptoms

  • Blurry vision
  • Headaches
  • Eye fatigue
  • Trouble seeing at night

 

Who can have astigmatism?

Astigmatism may affect anybody. Some have astigmatism from birth. Some people start to get it once they’re grownups. Over time, it could grow better or worse.

If you have mild astigmatism, you may not experience any symptoms. This is why having an annual exam is essential for adults and kids who cannot tell what a clear vision is. 

Getting an eye exam is the only way to determine whether you have astigmatism. You may improve your vision using eyeglasses or contact lenses, and some individuals can have surgery to correct their astigmatism.

Causes

When your cornea or lens has an abnormal shape, it will result in astigmatism. It is often a genetic disorder. Moreover, it could be caused by the pressure of your eyelids on your cornea.

Astigmatism may result because of:

How to diagnose astigmatism?

Schedule your eye exam with your eye doctor to see if you have astigmatism.

To identify, your eye doctor may do a few tests, such as:

Visual Acuity Test

It is a test that examines your eyesight. If you have ever gazed at a wall chart with letters or symbols during an eye exam, you have gone through a visual acuity test.

The visual acuity test is the easiest approach for an eye doctor to determine if your vision has changed. Your optometrist may suggest contact lenses or glasses after a visual acuity exam.

Keratometry Test

Keratometry is a method for measuring the cornea’s anterior curvature. The eye doctor can determine the corneal refractive power, which may be described as an optical power or a corneal curvature radius.

In this test, the eye doctor will use a keratometer. It is an instrument that measures the cornea’s curvature.

Slit Lamp Test

During an eye exam, your optometrist will use a bright light into your eye using a special microscope called a slit lamp. Your eye doctor will observe the various layers and areas of your eye.

 

Treatment

Kids or young adults can have astigmatism, while some are born with it. After an eye injury or eye surgery, astigmatism may also occur in specific individuals.

Most people who have astigmatism need corrective lenses. Your optometrist may advise contact lenses or glasses to improve your vision. If it is mild, you may not need to use any of them, but you must schedule an annual exam to measure any changes. 

Astigmatism may get worse over time. Having an eye exam will let you know if it progresses. However, wearing contacts or glasses won’t change the curvature of your eye. They will only correct your vision to prevent blurry eyesight.

Ophthalmologists can perform surgery to fix vision problems. Lasers are used in vision correction surgery to treat vision issues, including LASIK and photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) eye surgery. Your eyesight will improve, and these operations will reduce astigmatism. If you’re considering surgery for vision correction, talk to your eye doctor.

Prevention

There is no way to avoid astigmatism. Most astigmatic individuals are born with the condition. Others get it when their eyes mature and develop.

When to visit an eye doctor?

Contact your eye care professional when you notice any eye changes and have blurry vision. 

Protect your eyesight! Make an appointment with our optometrists at the Walmart Vision Center Crystal Lake, IL or Walmart Vision Center Harvard, IL. 

We provide quality eye care in Crystal Lake, Woodstock, Harvard, Illinois, and surrounding communities. 

Contact us:

Walmart Vision Center Crystal Lake, IL

815-477-4053

Walmart Vision Center Harvard, IL

815-943-4331

 

kid's eye exam crystal lake illinois

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