Facts You Did Not Know About Astigmatism

  Last Updated on January 16, 2023 by Aaron Barriga

Most people have some degree of astigmatism and yet there are so many people who are still confused and may miss out on signs of astigmatism. Here are some common facts about astigmatism and the symptoms you should look out for and the steps you can take to treat them.

Facts about Astigmatism:

1. Irregularly-shaped Cornea
   Astigmatism is caused by an irregularly-shaped cornea which makes it look more like a football than a normal spherical-shape structure. A cornea with a rounder shape controls the amount of light that enters, allowing you to see things around you clearly. An irregularly-shaped cornea prevents an even distribution of light, resulting in blurred vision.
2. Genetic Component
   An irregularly-shaped cornea is a genetic trait, just like the color of your eyes that may have passed from one generation to the next. So, if you start experiencing blurry vision over time, it may be unquestionably out of your control.
3. Untreated Astigmatism
   Astigmatism symptoms should be caught early, especially in children. If overlooked, it can result in more serious and permanent conditions like amblyopia, commonly known lazy eye. Regular eye exams should be an essential part of your child’s growing years to avoid further complications.
4. Astigmatism affects Depth Perception
   The ability to see in three dimensions and judge the distance of an object is called depth perception. Eye conditions like astigmatism make depth perception issues more prominent. This makes it difficult to determine the proximity of certain objects or the distance between two objects. Astigmatism blurs the edges and outlines of things you see. So even if your depth perception is not affected, the overall quality of your vision may be poor nonetheless.
5. More than One Category of Astigmatism
   Astigmatism has more than one category. An irregular-shaped cornea is called corneal astigmatism. While the shape of the lens being distorted is known as lenticular astigmatism. Both result in distorted vision when looking at objects near and far.
6. LASIK surgery
   Lasik surgery can permanently reshape the cornea, guiding it to a rounder shape that helps you see clearly. Expect a sharper than ever vision without having to deal with corrective lenses.
7. High Blood Sugar Levels
   High blood sugar levels can affect the shape of the lens that is responsible for the focusing power of the eye. Eye problems are collectively referred to as diabetic eye disease. It commonly includes diabetic retinopathy, where the tiny blood vessels in the retina are damaged, but may also include cataracts and glaucoma.
8. Vigorous rubbing of the eyes
   Constantly rubbing your eyes can cause damage to the cornea and eventually result in increased pressure and irregular change in the shape of the eye.
9. Degrees of Severity
   A person with mild astigmatism has < 1.00 dioptre, a person with moderate astigmatism has 1.00 to 2.00 dioptres, a person with severe astigmatism has 2.00 to 3.00 dioptres and a person with extreme astigmatism has > 3.00 dioptres. People with astigmatism may suffer from headaches, tired eyes and experience sensitivity to bright lights. At times, near-sighted people may squint to improve their vision.

If you’re looking for experienced Ophthalmologists in Fresno, book an appointment with us today and allow our helpful clinical staff at Insight Vision Centre to bring back those healthy eyes.