Astigmatism, we’ve all heard of it, but what exactly is it? Simply put its when your cornea is misshapen. Your cornea is a symmetrically round shape, but when you have astigmatism, its shape becomes more like a football, when the cornea is not symmetrical the light that enters bends, making objects look blurry and wavy at a distance.
Types of Astigmatism
Almost everyone has some degree of astigmatism, but the type they have differs. There are three main types of astigmatism.
- Myopic – More commonly known as nearsightedness, this happens when your cornea is curved too much, or your eye is longer than it should be. When light enters your eye, it is focused in front of your retina, making objects at a distance seem blurry.
- Hyperopic – This is known to most as farsightedness when your cornea is not curved enough, or your eye is shorter than it should be. In this case, the light that enters your eye focuses behind the retina, making objects up close seem blurry.
- Mixed – You may have a mix of both types of astigmatism. When you have mixed astigmatism the light that is entering your eye is focused both behind and in front of the retina.
3 Ways to Correct Astigmatism
If you do have astigmatism, don’t worry there is hope! There are several different treatment options, including:
- Eyeglasses – Among the most common choice for people with astigmatism is wearing eyeglasses to correct their vision. The eyeglasses prescribed to you by your doctor will contain special lenses that compensate for your astigmatism.
- Contact Lenses – If eyeglasses don’t give you the results you want then contacts may be an option. Contact lenses come in a variety of options for convenience. Some lenses can be worn for a whole month; others are changed out daily. Contact lenses are worn directly on your eye and need to be cleaned to protect your eye health.
- Surgery – Astigmatism can also be corrected by reshaping the cornea through LASIK surgery. Many people prefer the surgical option because they don’t have to bother with refilling lens prescriptions or losing their glasses.
Choosing the Right Option
If you have astigmatism, Dr. Delianides and the team at Atlantic Eye Consultants can help you choose the treatment that best fits your needs. For more information on how we can help you schedule a consultation today!