You've heard of this thing called "astigmatism" whether it's been mentioned by your doctor or someone else you know. But what is astigmatism? The definition of astigmatism is "a defect of vision in which straight lines at some distance appear bowed." This definition is pretty vague for someone who has never heard of astigmatism before.
So here is another way to define it. Astigmatism is a condition where the shape of your cornea (the front of your eye) is not a perfect sphere (think basketball!). Because of this when you look at something with astigmatism, it looks curved or distorted.
Sounds horrible, I know. However, its not as bad or uncommon as you may think. In this article we will be explaining everything there is to know about astigmatism.
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Astigmatism usually occurs when the front surface of your eye, the cornea, has a slightly asymmetric curvature. Your cornea and lens should be smooth and evenly curved in all directions, but if you have an astigmatism, your cornea may have more of a football-like shape. This can cause light rays to bend more in one direction than another and you'll likely experience blurred vision at all distances.
The severity of astigmatism can vary greatly from mild to severe. If you have mild astigmatism, you might not even notice any symptoms. With moderate to severe astigmatism, however, you may experience headaches and eye strain as well as blurred vision at both near and far distances.
There are two main types of astigmatism: corneal and refractive. The most common form of astigmatism is corneal astigmatism, which is caused by an irregularly shaped cornea. Refractive astigmatism is caused by an abnormal shape in either the cornea or the lens.
And there you have it, a few things you’ll want to keep in mind about astigmatism. If you want to learn more about this eye condition that has been affecting people for centuries, feel free to reach out. We’re always glad to answer questions and provide more information.