Astigmatism is a common vision problem where the lens inside the eye or the front surface of the eye (cornea) has an irregular curve. Instead of having a curve like a baseball, the cornea is shaped more like a football or the back of a spoon. This can change the way light passes to the retina and interfere with its ability to focus images. Astigmatism can distort vision at all distances.
Astigmatism may be present at birth, or it may develop later in life due to an eye disease, injury, or surgery. Continue reading to learn more about some signs to look out for that may indicate you have astigmatism.
Eye Strain and Headaches
Whether driving a car or working at a computer, your eyes are constantly adjusting to focus and see clearly. If you have uncorrected astigmatism, your eyes can't achieve the right focus, forcing your brain to work harder to decipher images. This could result in the following:
- Eyestrain
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Squinting
- Dizziness
You may find yourself squinting more often because it helps minimize the amount of light entering your eyes and helps you see things more clearly. This can also cause headaches and fatigue.
Blurry or Distorted Vision
Your cornea is the clear dome-shaped layer that forms the front part of the eye. It focuses light through the lens of the eye into a signal that hits the retina (the back part of your eyeball). The retina converts light into an electrical signal that the optic nerve picks up and sends to the brain to create images.
When you have astigmatism, there's a mismatch in the natural curve of the cornea and the lens. This interferes with your eye's ability to focus. Light rays meet at different points, causing the retina to receive two different images. This cause blurry or distorted vision.
Blurry vision may be mild or severe, depending on the degree of astigmatism. While farsightedness (hyperopia) makes close-up objects blurry and nearsightedness (myopia) makes far-away objects blurry, astigmatism can make things blurry or distorted in all directions.
Difficulty Seeing at Night
People with astigmatism often report that their vision worsens when it's dark. The reason for this is that the pupils dilate at night or in other low-light conditions, allowing more light into the eye. When more peripheral light rays enter eyes affected by astigmatism, the light is refracted in the wrong direction, causing halos, glares, and starbursts. Driving at night often presents a challenge because oncoming headlights and traffic lights can create distracting blurring and glares that interfere with a person's ability to focus on the road.
Contact Eye Care Experts Today
Astigmatism is typically diagnosed in routine eye exams. In some cases, it can occur alongside farsightedness and nearsightedness and ranges in severity. This refractive error can often be corrected with contact lenses, eyeglasses, or refractive surgery.
If you're experiencing headaches, blurry vision, or problems with night vision, schedule a full eye examination with Atlantic Eye Consultants. We can help you get to the bottom of your vision problems and recommend a treatment option that suits your needs and lifestyle.