Optometry Weekly

Leika Ilagan

What is Astigmatism?

Astigmatism is an eye condition in

which the cornea, the clear front surface of
the eye, is football shaped as opposed to
the shape of a round basketball. In some
cases, it is the lens inside the eye that
causes the distortion but in either case,
vision is blurry. This irregularity affects
the way light focuses on the retina, the
light sensitive tissue in the back of the eye,
and can cause blurred vision at all
distances.
Regular astigmatism is a fairly
common and mild eye condition.
Astigmatism is also usually congenital, but
it can also develop after an eye injury or
eye surgery. Small degrees of astigmatism
do not require treatment, however, larger
amounts of astigmatism may require
corrective lenses as a form of treatment.
Figure 2. An irregular shape of the cornea or the lens
causes blurred vision at all distances.
Source: http://www.bubblews.com/news/160631-what-is-
astigmatism
Irregular astigmatism, is caused by
irregularities on the cornea. This can be
caused by scars on the cornea from trauma
or from corneal diseases. Treatment for
irregular astigmatism can generally be
accomplished with rigid gas permeable
contact lenses.
How can astigmatism be diagnosed? A
comprehensive eye examination includes
tests for astigmatism. During a refraction,
the optometrist places different lenses in
front of the patient’s eyes to measure how
they focus light and based on the patient’s
responses, finds a prescription that provides
the patient with the best vision.

Sources: http://www.aoa.org/Astigmatism.xml
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/158810
.php

Figure 1. How light rays focus on the retina in a normal

eye vs. an eye with astigmatism.
Source:http://kowaoptimed.wordpress.com/tag/congenial
-disease/

Regular astigmatism commonly

occurs with other refractive errors, such as
myopia and hyperopia. Some symptoms of
astigmatism include distorted vision,
sensitivity to light, eye discomfort or strain,
headaches, and excessive squinting.