What Is Astigmatism?
Astigmatism is one of the most common eye conditions, but it can be very bothersome if it isn't treated. This condition affects how a person sees and often requires special lenses to correct. Bay Ridge Family Eye Care in Brooklyn, NY, is here to help. Below, we discuss what you need to know about astigmatism.
What Is Astigmatism?
Astigmatism is caused by an abnormal curvature of the eye that can cause the eye to become unable to focus light properly. Most often, people with astigmatism complain that they see halos around bright lights, particularly at night.
For many people with this condition, it can take longer to focus on objects at different depths; there is a noticeable delay when switching from reading a book to looking at the TV, for example. This can make normal activities, such as driving at night, working in an office, or playing sports difficult.
The condition is usually diagnosed by an eye doctor who uses special equipment to look at the shape of the eye. A standard eye exam that does not use this equipment will not be able to accurately diagnose astigmatism.
Because the shape of the eye is different, people with astigmatism will typically not see 100% vision correction with conventional glasses. Astigmatism is usually accompanied by nearsightedness, so many people with the condition will have some amount of vision correction with traditional lenses. Generally, however, people with astigmatism will need to have specially made lenses.
How to Treat Astigmatism
Once an eye care specialist has diagnosed a patient with astigmatism, the standard course of action is to prescribe corrective lenses. For many years, only glasses were available for people with astigmatism, but recently specialty contact lenses have come on the market to treat this condition.
It is important to note that these specialty contact lenses are designed to work in only one orientation. This means that even people who have worn contact lenses for years will need to be briefly trained on how to correctly insert and use these lenses. Fortunately, this usually only takes a few minutes to learn.
A more permanent solution is to consider LASIK surgery. This procedure reshapes the lens of the eye, essentially erasing astigmatism.
Call Us Today
If you live in the Brooklyn, NY, area and think you may have problems with astigmatism, call the Bay Ridge Family Eye Care optometry clinic as soon as possible at (718) 680-3270. We can make you an appointment to see an eye doctor with experience in this condition who will help you correct your vision.