Astigmatism
Astigmatism is caused when patients have a corneas or lenses that aren't round. This eye condition is highly common, and many people have a small degree of this condition and may not notice any effects from it. However, many patients have a more pronounced degree of astigmatism, and this can give them many different eyesight problems. In most cases, patients have this eye shape from birth, but it can also happen later in life. There are many causes that can be behind it, such as eye injuries, diseases, and surgery. Every year in the U.S., many cases are diagnosed. If you haven't had an eye exam in a while, make an appointment for a full eye exam. This will allow an optometrist on our team to find the condition if you have it. Call our Longmont, CO, office for your appointment. We at Eagle Vision Eye Clinic are here to help.
The Shape of the Eyes
When the cornea and the lens are perfectly round, it allows light to come into it and become bent in even directions. This is what creates clear vision for that eye shape. However, there are a lot of patients who have eyes that aren't round and have a shape that is like a football. If you have this eye shape, the light gets bent in the eye unevenly, and this creates a lot of problems with your vision. When this happens, an object will have one area that's in focus while the rest of it isn't. Items that aren't in focus may look blurry as well as wavy. Patients who have nearsightedness or farsightedness may have this condition as well. All three of these eye conditions are refractive errors that can greatly affect vision. Because astigmatism makes things blurry, patients may believe that the only problem is nearsightedness or farsightedness.
Astigmatism Symptoms
While the condition causes blurry vision, it can also cause distorted vision. When you look at something, it may look wavy or have a shape that's distorted in some way. It's also common to get frequent headaches with astigmatism and to have eye strain often. It can also cause problems with night vision. Many people find the condition highly frustrating, and it can deeply affect the vision in many cases. When you have astigmatism, regular soft contacts won't fit the eye correctly, so specialty contact lenses are needed. Toric lenses are used for astigmatism, and they have a rigid shape that allows for better vision.
Visit the Optometrist
When you have astigmatism, you need special vision correction that is just for this condition. When you need an eye exam to check you for astigmatism or to monitor it if you already have it, call our Longmont, CO, office at (303) 651-2020 to make your appointment. We at Eagle Vision Eye Clinic are here to help.