Astigmatism - Diagnosing And Correction
What Is AstigmatismIt is a condition of the eyes where the cornea is irregular in shape. This causes the light to be refracted differently, resulting in blurry vision. This difference in curvature may be very slight or more pronounced. This eye defect may also occur less frequently with the lens inside the eye rather than with the cornea. Recommended reading:
All of these conditions are known as refractive errors, since they affect how the eyes refract or bend the light. This optical defect may be hereditary. Some babies are born with this condition, though it usually doesn't worsen until the child gets older. How It Affects Your VisionThe cornea will develop astigmatism in the most common form of this condition. The cornea is the clear layer that covers the iris and pupil of the eye. When the cornea is irregular in shape, the light is refracted differently, causing the image to be focused either short of the retina or further back. This will make the image look distorted and blurry. How It Is Diagnosed And TreatedThis eye condition is diagnosed through a comprehensive eye examination. Your eye doctor will measure how your eyes focus light and measure the curvature of your cornea. Everyone is familiar with the eye chart where you read off letters. This measures your visual acuity. Normal acuity is measured as 20/20. A keratometer is one of the instruments the doctor will use to determine the curvature of your cornea. This is also a very important instrument when you are being fitted for contact lenses. 
Another instrument the doctor will use is called a phoropter. This instrument lets the doctor place a series of lenses in front of your eyes to measure how your eyes focus light.This optical defect is treated with corrective actions. They can be prescription eyewear, such as glasses or contact lenses, orthokeratology or laser or other refractive surgery techniques. Most people will choose eyeglasses. The prescription is ground in a special way to provide astigmatism correction. Contact lenses also work extremely well for some people. Special toric contact lenses are usually prescribed for astigmatic eyes. They help reshape the cornea for better vision. Orthokeratology involves fitting a series of rigid contact lenses for a patient to help reshape the cornea. Each set of lenses is worn for a limited period of time, such as overnight, and then removed from the eyes. This helps some people to be able to see without corrective lenses during the day. This is not a permanent cure. Laser procedures such as LASIK may also be used to reshape the cornea. This procedure removes an inner layer of the eye tissue to help shape the cornea correctly.
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