Astigmatism is a common vision problem caused by a change in the shape of the cornea, the front surface of the eye. The cornea is normally curved regularly, but in people with astigmatism, the curvature is irregular. This changes the way light passes or refracts into the retina, causing blurry or distorted vision.
Types of astigmatism
There are three types of astigmatism:
How does someone with astigmatism see?
Astigmatism can cause blurred or distorted vision at both near and far distances. The light is focused at multiple points instead of a single point, and when looking at lights, they may appear to be bouncing off their original location. For example, when looking at a stoplight, the actual light may appear blurry, and the light may appear to be reflecting off of it in multiple directions.
The vision problems that occur with astigmatism can lead to the following symptoms:
What is the severity of astigmatism in the eye?
The severity of astigmatism is determined by diopters, which is a unit of measure for the optical power of a lens.
The diopter strength indicates the strength of the lens. A high diopter number indicates poor vision and that correction is needed.
Does astigmatism cause strabismus?
Dr. Osama Abdel-Hakim confirms that astigmatism does not cause strabismus except in one case only, which is that there is a large difference in the degrees of astigmatism from one eye to the other, such as being one degree in one of them and reaching 5 degrees in the other.
Is astigmatism dangerous?
It is one of the most common questions that patients ask as soon as they hear that they are suffering from astigmatism in the eye. Astigmatism is not dangerous, but it simply means that the front surface of the person's eye, i.e. the cornea, has an elliptical curvature rather than a circular one. Light enters the eye through the cornea and bends to focus on the light-sensitive tissues at the back of the eye, which is the retina.
A signal is sent to the brain, which processes the image as we see it. Usually, the curvature of the cornea allows the light entering the eye to focus at one point on the retina, creating a clear image.
But when the cornea is more elliptical than circular, the light entering the eye focuses in two places on the retina, which leads to blurred vision, and this was the answer to the question of whether astigmatism is dangerous.
Do glasses treat astigmatism?
Many patients do not realize that there are vision correction procedures that can permanently correct astigmatism. Advanced technology that creates detailed three-dimensional maps of the surface of the eye, called corneal topography, allows us to correct vision problems and restore clear vision.
What are the treatment options for astigmatism?
When astigmatism is simple, patients do not need treatment. However, when astigmatism affects vision, a comprehensive eye examination is required to obtain a final diagnosis; and to determine the appropriate treatment to improve vision.
Corrective lenses are usually prescribed for people with astigmatism. Astigmatism glasses also contain lenses to treat corneal aberration.
Four types of surgery can be used for astigmatism.
Cases not suitable for laser surgery
Laser is not suitable for all cases. Therefore, laser surgery can be avoided in some cases including the following:
Astigmatism in the eye is a common refractive error, and it occurs in varying degrees and affects vision differently depending on its severity. It can be corrected easily using corrective lenses or laser surgery.
Now, after you have learned everything about astigmatism, how an astigmatism patient sees, and whether astigmatism is dangerous, do not hesitate to ask for a consultation with Dr. Osama Hakim, Consultant of Ophthalmology and Ocular Surgery, and surgeries to treat strabismus, eyelids, and lacrimal duct at Moroccan Eye Hospital in Dubai and Founder and Director of Medical Eye Center in Egypt.
