Astigmatism is a vision defect that causes a person to lose the ability to see surrounding objects clearly. Astigmatism occurs as a result of a violation of the shape of the refractive surface of the eye. Due to the irregular shape of the lens or cornea, the focusing of light rays is disrupted. As a result, the image received by our eye is distorted – part of the image turns out blurry.
Astigmatism occurs to varying degrees in most people.
The causes of astigmatism are:
- congenital;
- acquired.
Congenital astigmatism occurs in most children and in some cases goes away with time. Typically, astigmatism occurs as a result of a genetic predisposition or complications during pregnancy.
Acquired astigmatism can occur due to physical trauma to the eye, inflammatory diseases (such as keratitis or keratoconjunctivitis) or corneal dystrophy.
The main symptom of astigmatism is blurred contours of surrounding objects, regardless of the distance to them. Other symptoms also include:
- general deterioration of vision;
- fatigue of the eye muscles;
- pain, stinging in the eyes;
- inability to focus on an object;
- headaches as a result of visual stress.
How to deal with astigmatism?
Astigmatism is a disease that can be corrected. For a long time, the only way to combat it was to wear special glasses or contact lenses. They help improve picture quality, but they are not able to stop the development of astigmatism.
In recent years, patients can correct astigmatism through surgery:
- Laser correction – elimination of corneal defects using a beam of laser beams.
- Lens replacement – removal of your own lens and implantation of an artificial lens.
- Implantation of an intraocular lens without removal of the lens.
Before any operation, you should consult with an ophthalmologist. You can get a consultation at the Medical Center clinic. You can make an appointment by phone or online chat.