Do you battle with fuzzy vision, suffer from headaches, find yourself squinting a lot or experience irritation in your eyes? These are all signs that you might be struggling with astigmatism.
What is astigmatism?
Normally, the eye’s shape takes on a spherical shape. With astigmatism, the cornea takes on more of an irregular shape, resembling an egg or rugby ball, rather than a sphere.
According to Healthline, there are two main types of astigmatism: horizontal and vertical. Horizontal astigmatism occurs when the eye is wider than it is tall, while vertical astigmatism arises when the eye is taller than it is wide. Both impact clarity of vision differently.
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What causes astigmatism?
The American Academy for Opthamology lists astigmatism as ‘very common’, but doctors don’t know exactly why the shape of the cornea differs from one person to the next.
Genetics play a role, with inheritance the susceptibility of having astigmatism. It may manifest at birth or later in life, potentially triggered by eye injuries, surgeries, or conditions like keratoconus, where corneal thinning distorts vision.
Vision-focused activities such as reading in low light doesn’t cause astigmatism, but can exacerbate existing symptoms.
Usually, astigmatism goes unnoticed until it starts to disrupt the clarity of vision and cause problems, such as blurriness or fuziness. Often, astigmatism can be easily identified by optometrists during regular checkups.
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5 signs you may be struggling with astigmatism
Do these symptoms sound all too familiar to you? Here are 5 signs you may be struggling with astigmatism:
1. Blurry vision
If your vision seems blurry or not quite right, it could be because of astigmatism messing with how your eye focuses.
2. Headaches
If you find yourself getting headaches, especially after staring at screens or reading, it could be your eyes struggling to compensate for astigmatism. This may be causing strain, leading to headaches.
3. Irritated eyes
Astigmatism can make your eyes feel irritated, uncomfortable or ‘scratchy’, like there’s something in them.
4. Nighttime driving is tough
If you have a hard time seeing clearly when it gets dark, astigmatism might be the culprit, making it trickier for your eyes to adjust to low light.
5. Squinting
Do you often squint to gain more clarity in vision? Astigmatism might be why; your eyes are trying to focus better by narrowing the incoming light.
Yes to the above. What next?
If you suspect you may have astigmatism, the very first thing you should do is schedule an appointment with an eye care professional, like an optometrist. They will conduct a comprehensive eye exam, which typically includes tests to measure your visual acuity and assess the shape of your cornea.
During the examination, your optometrist may perform a test called ‘keratometry’ to measure the curvature of your cornea and determine the extent of astigmatism. They may also use a phoropter to fine-tune your vision and determine the best prescription for corrective lenses.
Unsplash / Karolina Grabowska
How is astigmatism treated?
Luckily, treatment for astigmatism can be fixed with a good pair of lenses or contact lenses to correct refractive errors caused by the irregular shape of the cornea or lens.
In some cases, refractive surgery such as LASIK may be recommended to reshape the cornea permanently.
Regular follow-up appointments with your eye care provider are crucial to monitor your vision and adjust treatment as needed.
If you do happen to struggle with astigmatism, book your vision test with a trusted eye specialist in your area.
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Feature Image: Unsplash / Amanda Dalbjorn
