Astigmatism occurs when the eye lens surface is not smooth. This can be a problem from birth and is commonly present in combination with farsightedness and nearsightedness. If not severe, it does not always need to be treated. Let’s look at some of the astigmatism symptoms.
· Blurred vision is one of the most common astigmatism symptoms. This may happen vertically, horizontally, or diagonally. However, if the person is not severely affected, this symptom is virtually unnoticeable.
· If you have to squint when looking at objects far away, this may also be one of astigmatism symptoms.
· Reading small print is difficult with astigmatism, and it may appear blurred.
· Headaches are one of the most common astigmatism symptoms.
· In children it may appear as the inability to focus on words while reading.
· Sore or tired eyes are common in those with astigmatism, which is caused when trying to focus and staining the eyes
· Eyes can become red and irritated.
· Images may appear double
· Astigmatism symptoms may also include distortion in the visual field
· General fatigue may be caused by the above astigmatism symptoms
Astigmatism causes may include the after-effects of eye injuries or surgery. It may also be present at birth and is often hereditary. Some other astigmatism causes are incorrect posture, pressure on the cornea from the eyelids, or using the eyes too much for close work. Reading in low lighting or sitting close to the TV are not, however, astigmatism causes.
Astigmatism treatment is quite a simple one, since this is not a difficult vision problem to correct. Patients who have astigmatism will usually receive a prescription consisting of different parts – first, the correction of farsightedness or nearsightedness, with the additional astigmatism part. A person who suffers from astigmatism only slightly may not even need corrective lenses at all, as long as neither farsightedness nor nearsightedness is present.
In the past astigmatism patients were not good candidates to receive contact lenses that are soft. However, nowadays contact lenses are perfectly normal for astigmatism treatment, unless it is extremely severe. Various tests are necessary in order to determine which lenses are ideal for a particular patient.
Another form of astigmatism treatment is refractive laser eye surgery. This involves altering the shape of the cornea. More than one type of refractive surgery exists, so specific astigmatism treatments should be prescribed on an individual basis. The requirement for this kind of surgery is healthy eyes. They must be free from corneal scars, retinal problems, or any eye disease. With technological progress going forward, it is important to research all the possibilities and options before you decide which type of refractive surgery is right for you.
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