Do you suffer from refractive errors? One of the most common refractive errors is astigmatism.
Vision begins with light. Light bounces off the surface of objects and enters the eyes through the cornea, pupil, and lens. Once at the back of the eye, the light then reaches the retina.
Special cells in the retina then send the information to the brain via the optic nerve. The brain reads these electrical signals and then forms them into images for you to see.
This series of events is a complex set of interactions. Many parts of the eye have to function properly to produce images for you to be able to see. Issues with any part of the eye can lead to impaired eyesight.
One of the most common causes of decreased vision is refractive errors, one of which is astigmatism. Read on below to learn more about what causes astigmatism!
The Different Kinds of Refractive Errors
There are three main kinds of refractive errors: Nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. One of the main culprits for these refractive errors is an irregularly shaped cornea.
The cornea is the translucent tissue at the front of your eye and functions as the window of the eye. Light has to pass through the cornea to reach the photosensitive cells in the retina in order to form an image in your brain.
Although the lens inside your eye helps with focusing the light, the cornea is primarily responsible for this task.
The light that passes through the cornea should be focused directly onto the retina at a single point. However, this is not the case for millions of people across the globe.
Someone that has a cornea that is too curved will be nearsighted. The curve in the cornea will result in the light that comes into focus before it reaches the retina.
Alternatively, those who are farsighted have a cornea that is too flat. When the cornea is too flat, the light focuses behind the retina instead of on the retina.
When a cornea is egg-shaped rather than spherical, its curvature is asymmetrical. This causes images to overlap and blurred vision.
Astigmatism is the word used to describe the way the light is focused when a cornea is either too flat or too curved. Astigmatism is not the only cause for nearsightedness or farsightedness, but it is a significant factor.
Astigmatism is typically a hereditary condition present from birth. However, astigmatism can develop later in life due to an eye injury or disease.
A popular myth is that astigmatism is caused or worsened by sitting too close to a screen or squinting. However, this is not true.
How to Deal With Astigmatism
If you are not wearing glasses to correct the refractive error, you may develop eye strain and headaches.
Refractive errors are commonly corrected with prescription glasses. Although having glasses is a responsibility and can change your appearance, they will help improve your vision and lessen the amount of eye strain you experience.
Contact lenses are another popular solution as they also help correct astigmatism. One of the benefits of contact lenses is that they will not change your appearance but will still improve vision symptoms.
Contacts can be an adjustment for a new wearer. Most people will need to practice the insertion and removal of the contact lens multiple times before they get the hang of it.
Contact lenses also need to be replaced frequently, kept clean, and properly stored when not in use.
An alternative option for correcting refractive errors is LASIK. LASIK is an effective way to correct astigmatism, as long as you qualify as a good candidate for the procedure.
Do you have more questions about astigmatism? Schedule an appointment at Stahl Eyecare Experts in NYC to learn more.
