Astigmatism

Astigmatism occurs when the eye’s cornea has an irregular shape which causes objects at a distance
to appear blurry. The cornea is a clear and round dome covering the eye’s iris and pupil. When a cornea is
healthy and normal, it is smooth and curves equally in all directions allowing light to be focused onto the
retina properly. The retina is located at the back of the eye near the optic nerve. It is a thin tissue layer
that lines the back of the eye on the inside whose main role is to receive light focused by the lens, convert
this light into neural signals, and send these signals to the brain. The brain upon receiving these neural
signals then interprets these for visual recognition.

There are two kinds of astigmatism. The first one is Corneal Astigmatism due to the misshapen cornea. When
the cornea is not properly curved, light is being bent incorrectly due to its regular shape which then leads
to seeing objects as blurred. The second type is Lenticular Astigmatism which occurs in the lens of the
eye which is located behind the cornea. This occurs when the lens has mismatched curves. Both types
cause both near and far objects to appear blurry.

Moderate to severe astigmatism may cause eye strain, squinting, headaches, and poor night vision. Most
often, astigmatism is inherited and most people have the problem since birth. It can be also caused by
external factors such as occurring after an eye injury, eye disease, or eye surgery.

For astigmatism to be corrected, people wear eyeglasses made of special cylindrical lenses prescribed by
eye doctors. These glasses need only a single-vision lens that provides clear vision at all distances.
Usually, people above 40 years old require a bifocal or progressive vision lens. Some also choose to wear
contact lenses due to their clear vision and it has a wider range of view compared to glasses.

Experiencing Astigmatism? Here at Accent Eye Care, we can assist you in assessing and diagnosing
your astigmatism to be able to provide you with better ways to manage it.