Astigmatism is the condition of sight where the eye tissue layer does not focus light rays at a single point, creating a bigger problem – blurred vision. This happens because the form of the front clear part of the eye is slightly off from being perfectly round. The word astigmatism comes from two Greek words meaning “star” and “axis”.
This sort of vision problem occurs in 2% of the population worldwide and is common in people who wear glasses or contact lenses. In severe cases, astigmatism affects some sports such as tennis, swimming, golf, and basketball. Astigmatism often goes unrecognized until age 40, when symptoms begin to appear.
At this point, your optometrist can diagnose astigmatism using a refraction test known as keratometry. If you experience some of the symptoms visiting the best Lasik surgeon in Austin can solve this problem, all you have to do is visit this site and make an appointment.
A person suffering from such eye problem has trouble focusing on close objects. If you experience unclear vision, ask your doctor about treatment options. They may include correcting your lens prescription, wearing eyeglasses with specific lenses, or having surgery to change the curvature of the cornea.
What causes this state, what does it look like, and what can I do to prevent or treat this condition?
This type of syndrome occurs when the cornea is built other than round. This causes light rays from objects to focus differently at different points along the surface of the eye. The result is unclear vision.
Astigmatism is also known as being nearsighted, farsighted, irregularly shaped eyes, or having corneal astigmatism. This sight problem usually affects both eyes equally, although sometimes only one eye is affected. Most often, it is corrected during childhood through regular vision correction procedures such as glasses, contact lenses, or laser surgery. If left untreated, however, it can cause foggy vision and bad migraines.
There are two types: simple and compound. Simple astigmatism occurs when one or both surfaces of the oculus are curved inward towards each other. Compound astigmatism occurs when the shape of the two surfaces of the optic differ significantly, causing light entering the eye to focus at varying distances from the retina.
What causes the condition to get worse?
It’s true that your eyesight gets worse as you get older. The reason lies in the growth of deposits called cataracts in the front part of your eyeball. These white protein deposits gradually cloud your vision because they block light from passing through your cornea and lens. Cataract surgeons operate to remove these deposits or replace them with artificial ones.
The following tips may help you lower the risk of your vision getting worse:
There are several things you can do to prevent astigmatism from getting worse. Take care of your eyes! To protect them from injury, wear protective eyewear and follow safe work practices. Avoid staring at screens for long periods of time, especially bright ones like computer monitors, television sets, and tablets.
Make sure you have regular checkups with your optometrist. Consult with your doctor if you notice any changes in your eyesight. Have regular eye exams. Don’t smoke cigarettes or use tobacco products. Talk to your ophthalmologist about ways to treat impaired eyesight.
Exercise regularly. Exercising reduces tension in the muscles around the eye and relaxes them. If you exercise strenuously, try to avoid it after lunch and dinner. Drink plenty of water. Water helps wash away the toxic substances that accumulate in your body when you eat foods high in sodium and sugar.
Dehydration causes stress in the eye, resulting in the production of astigmatism. Reduce caffeine intake. Caffeine blocks adenosine receptors in the brain. Adenosine is a neurotransmitter responsible for controlling sleep cycles, moods, concentration, perception, motor skills, learning, memory, and many other bodily processes. By blocking these receptors, caffeine negatively affects the eyes by stimulating nerves and causing irritation.
An easier way to relieve the symptoms is with eye aids. This help normalizes the pressure inside the eye and prevents the occurrence of such eye problems. Lenses that have been designed to cure eyesight issue give extra-strength curves along the top of the lens to compensate for spherical aberration. Spherical aberration happens when the image formed on the retina is not focused properly.
In order to eliminate this problem, manufacturers create special designs and materials to counteract these effects. While vision aids are effective, they may become uncomfortable or inconvenient for the wearer. Contact lens wearers must remember to clean and care for them regularly. Additionally, there are risks associated with contact lenses, such as allergic reactions and bacterial infections.
This state can be solved with laser surgery. One technique involves reshaping the vision using lasers. This procedure, called LASIK (Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis) involves using a microkeratome to cut a flap inside the optic and then making the flap smaller by cutting away excess corneal tissue. The doctor uses a special microscope to guide the surgeon’s hand to carefully remove a thin layer of tissue from the surface of the cornea.
After removing a thin section of the corneal tissue, the doctor replaces it with a bandage to protect the area. Then, he or she removes the bandage and puts in a special contact lens. Once the doctor sees that the patient’s vision has improved, he or she removes an internal bandage under local anesthesia and permanently changes the shape of the oculus.
An alternative method of correcting oculus problems is by implanting a corneal toric ring. Corneal rings are made of a polymethyl methacrylate, which is a type of acrylic plastic. Rings are custom fitted to each patient’s eye and help realign the natural shape of the eye into a more spherical, or rounder, shape.
In today’s article, we’ve included all the essential information you need to know about having sight problems. Starting with what this vision state is, what are the symptoms, how to stop the premature occurrence or worsening of the eyesight syndrome, and how to get rid of this problem. Finally, we only have to remind you once again to do regular eye examinations and to rest your eyes enough.
Nina Smith