Astigmatism Symptoms

Astigmatism is a treatable eye condition that results in blurred vision. It occurs when the front of your eye, which is also called the cornea, or the lens develops a different curvature in one direction. Typically, the cornea is smooth and even in all directions, but with astigmatism, the surface of your eye becomes irregular in one area.

Astigmatism symptoms are a hindrance, but they are not life threatening. Symptoms may include headaches, tired eyes and blurred or distorted vision. There are a variety of corrective measures that can relieve the symptoms of astigmatism.

Types
There are two types of astigmatism. A corneal astigmatism occurs when the cornea has a distorted shape, and a lenticular astigmatism occurs when then lens has a distorted shape. Both of these types result in the same astigmatism symptoms, with blurred vision being the most common symptom.

Size
According to the Archives of Ophthalmology, 3 in 10 children under the age of 17 have astigmatism. For adults, it is estimated that 1 in 3 adults over the age of 30 have astigmatism. Since the prevalence of astigmatisms increases with age, it is important to maintain regular eye check-ups with your eye doctor as you get older. Eye professionals recommend that adults over age 30 get their eyes checked once every 2 to 4 years. According to the Mayo Clinic, people with astigmatism should have their eyes checked more frequently than adults without astigmatism.

Identification
If you notice that it becomes increasingly more difficult to go about your daily activities because of your deteriorating vision, then it is time to seek the care of an eye doctor. Your doctor will then measure the degree of your astigmatism and determine what course of treatment is best for your particular condition.
Your eye doctor will use a few different diagnostic tools to identify if you have astigmatism and the degree of it. He may use a keratometer, which is a tool that calculates the degree and the direction of your astigmatism. It accomplishes this by measuring the amount of light reflected from the surface of your cornea. Your eye doctor may also use a keratoscope and videokeratoscope. These tools calculate the actual corneal curvature and confirm whether or not there is astigmatism.

Since blurry vision may be the result of a separate condition, it is necessary to receive a firm diagnosis from your optometrist or ophthalmologist.

Prevention/Solution
Both forms of astigmatism can be easily corrected. These measures will result in an abatement of symptoms and an improvement of vision.

The intention behind treatment is to correct the uneven curvature of either the cornea or lens. Contact lenses or eyeglasses can be used to improve eyesight but it does not reverse the curvature of the astigmatism. One procedure, called Ortho-K, actually corrects the misaligned curvature. This procedure involves wearing a set of rigid contact lenses for a set amount of time each day. Over time, the curvature starts to correct itself and you can rely less and less on wearing the Ortho-K contact lenses.

Another mode of treatment involves refractive surgery. This kind of procedure permanently reshapes the surface of your eye. Lasik surgery, photorefractive keratectomy and laser-assisted subepithelial keratomileusis are the three most popular forms of refractive surgeries.

Considerations
If you have astigmatism, deciding on your best course of treatment depends on a number of factors: the cost of the treatment, whether or not you have vision insurance, your tolerance for surgical procedures and your comfort with wearing either contact lenses or glasses. It is important to consider all of these factors and to discuss your options with your doctor before making a decision.