Last Updated on July 18, 2022 by Aaron Barriga
Astigmatism refers to the term in which your cornea or lens isn’t round in shape. It’s a common vision disorder, and its symptoms include blurred vision, difficulty with driving at night, headaches, eye pain, and glare sensitivity. Astigmatism usually develops in childhood and changes our eye shape into a football-like shape from its usual spherical form.
This unusual shape causes light rays to bend in more than one direction, which causes blurred vision. Astigmatism usually doesn’t require any surgeries, and in most cases, you can treat it with glasses or contact lenses but if left untreated several factors can cause Astigmatism to worsen.
Who is at risk of Astigmatism?
Astigmatism is a common problem, and while it can happen to anyone, there are people with a higher chance of developing it due to certain factors. You are more likely at the risk of Astigmatism if you have:
- A thin cornea
- A family history of Astigmatism
- A history of eye surgeries. This can include cataracts and other surgeries as well.
- Excessive Farsightedness (hyperopia)
- Extreme nearsightedness (myopia)
There are several effects of Astigmatism as normal vision differs from that of how people with astigmatism see. But generally, people who have Astigmatism have difficulty when they are driving at night.
Can Astigmatism get worse?
Not only Astigmatism mostly every refractive error can worsen with time if left untreated at an early stage. According to research, we saw that the simultaneous presence of myopia, also known as nearsightedness, is one of the key factors that helps Astigmatism progress further. Therefore we recommend visiting your eye specialist at least once a year so you can detect your eye problems at an early stage.
What causes Astigmatism to worsen?
Several factors are responsible for making your Astigmatism problem worse, and your doctor will likely look out for the same. In some cases, a rare condition known as Keratoconus, in which the cornea begins to bulge outwards in a cone shape, causes Astigmatism to worsen.
Whereas in others, Astigmatism usually gets worse when a person turns more than 50. Your Corneal and Lens curvature is known to change with time, which means this condition will also change as you age.
Even though Astigmatism worsens with time, treating it is a no-brainer. Your eye specialist can usually do it with the help of corrective lenses, refractive surgery, and specialty contact lenses.
Does astigmatism get worse with age?
As mentioned earlier, astigmatism can get severe as we age. The corneas in your eye become highly irregular, and when you go to your eye specialist, you might notice that the prescriptions frequently keep changing, leading to different eye exams.
Conclusion
Your astigmatism symptoms might be more severe when you are suffering from other refractive issues or keratoconus. However, astigmatism is a common problem that can be treated easily. If you notice any symptoms of Astigmatism, you must contact your eye specialist so they can treat your problem at its early stage without the need for any surgeries.
Aaron Barriga is the online marketing manager for Insight Vision Center. With a knack for understanding medical procedures, and an interest in eye and vision health, Aaron loves to share what he knows and what he learns. He blogs to inform readers about the latest eye care technology and other topics related to eye care, especially LASIK.
