The flaw in the shape of the cornea causes a common vision defect known as Astigmatism. The eye lens that is located in the front end of the eye gains an unusual bend in the case of astigmatism. A distortion, blurredness, or fuzz is detected in the image formed on the retina of the eye.
The two major impairments that occur due to the passage the light goes to the retina are nearsightedness which is also known as myopia and farsightedness which is referred to as hypermetropia. This article helps you to develop a thorough understanding of astigmatism, types, and much more.
Types of astigmatism
There are mainly two major kinds of astigmatism – lenticular and corneal. When the impairment has occurred in the cornea, corneal astigmatism is the result. While lenticular astigmatism is caused when the lens of the eye is distorted.
- Regular or Irregular Astigmatisms can also be a further categorization. When the eye is not fully curved regular astigmatism is detected. The shape of the eye is considered as a football rather than a basketball in this case. Blurriness and distortion of vision often occur in this case.
- In the case of irregular astigmatism is uncommon and occurs when the eye is not fully round. In this condition, the shape of the eye gets an uneven curvature. This flaw also causes the formation of blur and distorted vision.
Cause of Astigmatism
The factor which largely causes astigmatism is genetics. During the time of birth, it can be detected but often it is developed later as the child grows. An injury in eye might also result in astigmatism or surgery in eye. This defect is generally reported when somebody is suffering from myopia or hypermetropia.
Keratoconus is a rare circumstance that results in astigmatism. This defect causes the bulging out and thinning of clear tissue present on the cornea which leads to blurred vision or sensitive reaction to vibrant lights. This disease is also heritable. Astigmatism can also occur due to the habit of reading in dim lights as in low lighting it becomes hard for the eyes to focus and cause blurred vision.
Age Groups that are more prone to Astigmatism
Children and Adults are more likely to suffer from astigmatism and the following reasons are responsible for the higher risk of getting affected by Astigmatism:
- The previous record of eye defects or astigmatism in the family
- Thin or scarred corneal tissues
- Blurred distant vision or extreme nearsightedness
- Blurred nearsighted vision or too much farsightedness
- A previous record of a particular kind of eye surgery
Symptoms of Astigmatism
Each individual has different signs of astigmatism and even some people are symptomatic. The most commonly found astigmatism symptoms are:
- Distortion, blurriness, and fuzz in a vision for all distances.
- Squint in eye
- Regular headaches
- Irritation in eyes
- Strain in eye
- Problematic night vision
Diagnosis of Astigmatism
Astigmatism can detect by a comprehensive examination of the eye by an ophthalmologist or optometrist. Several procedures can use for the diagnosis of astigmatism. Eyeglasses and contact lenses like Acuvue Oasys with astigmatism can be recommended by the experts and are available online.