Eye Care - Astigmatism

Astigmatism is usually present at birth. It is a refractive eye disorder that causes objects, both near and far, to appear blurred. Astigmatism may be the result of an abnormality of the lens, but usually occurs when the cornea of the eye is unevenly curved (A normal cornea is round.) With astigmatism, the cornea curves more in one direction than the other, similar to the back of a teaspoon. This uneven curvature causes light to focus on multiple areas of the retina, distorting the image sent to the brain. People with astigmatism may see some objects clearly, regardless of their distance, while other objects appear blurry. Astigmatism may occur in conjunction with nearsightedness or farsightedness. In fact, nearly 7 out of 10 people diagnosed with nearsightedness also have astigmatism.

Diagnosis and Treatments:
A routine eye exam by an optometrist can confirm whether or not you have astigmatism. Typically a Snellen test is performed. The Snellen test is an eye chart using letters of decreasing size, which enables the optometrist to determine whether the patient has astigmatism, and if he or she is nearsighted or farsighted. 

The optometrist may also test for glaucoma, examine the cornea using a slit lamp microscope, and an ophthalmoscope to reveal problems with the retina, macula, and optic nerve.

If the tests reveal astigmatism, your optometrist can prescribe glasses or contacts that will enable images to focus on one central point of the retina.