Imagine how it would feel if you went out for a movie, but it appeared as if being shot without camera focus. Kills the fun, right? That’s how it feels constantly while living with astigmatism and going about daily life routines. Anyone can develop astigmatism at any point in their lives. There are several cases where people have had astigmatism since birth. However, in some cases, astigmatism may develop due to an eye injury or keratoconus (thinning and outward bulging of the cornea into a cone-like shape).

Usually, astigmatism develops when the corneal shape becomes irregular, also known as corneal astigmatism. Depending upon several factors, this eye condition can get worse or better over time. According to global statistics, every 1 in 3 individuals suffers from astigmatism. Look out for these symptoms of astigmatism so that you can get treatment without any negligence:

• Distorted or blurred vision (at all distances)
• Eye discomfort or eye strain
• Frequent headaches
• Night vision problems
• Squinting while trying to see things clearly
• Experiencing halos or glare around light

Astigmatism Treatments – the only safe and sure ways of astigmatism correction

Astigmatism can be corrected by two approaches, depending on the patient’s needs and expectations:

• Astigmatism correction lens: Contacts and glasses can correct astigmatism. There are different types of lenses for astigmatism such as soft lenses, gas permeable contact lenses, and hybrid
  • Soft contact lenses: These are a special type of soft contact lenses, also known as toric Their weight is such that they remain aligned in their position.They are specially designed with varying powers at different points or meridians which help to correct the vision.
  • Gas permeable lens: This type of astigmatism correction lens is also known as GP contact lenses or RGP (rigid gas permeable) lenses. Such a lens is more rigid to remain in its place on the eye, as compared to a soft lens. Though these give a sharper vision, but may not be an ideal option for
  • Hybrid lens: This one has a hard/rigid gas-permeable lens in the middle of the contact and the rest has soft
• Spectacles Removal Surgery (Refractive Surgery): Refractive surgery aims at enhancing vision by reducing or removing the dependency on eyeglasses or contacts. In a refractive procedure, an eye surgeon employs a laser beam to reshape the cornea to remove the refractive error (eye power). However, not everyone is fit to get rid of eye astigmatism. Following are the types of refractive surgery for astigmatism correction.
• Laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK): In this refractive surgery, the surgeon carries out a thin corneal flap and then uses an excimer laser to reshape the corneal surface. Once the corneal irregularities are corrected, the surgeon places back the corneal
• Laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy (LASEK): In LASEK surgery, the eye surgeon creates an epithelial detachment (loosens up the epithelium) by using a diluted alcohol solution. Then, the doctor uses an excimer laser to correct the corneal curvature and repositions the detached or loosened epithelium
• Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK): This refractive surgery is similar to the aforementioned LASEK procedure. But, in PRK, the epithelial layer of the cornea is removed. Gradually, the epithelium grows back according to the reshaped curvature of the cornea. For the initial few days following the PRK surgery for astigmatism vision, the patient may need to wear a bandage contact lens for
• SMILE (Small Incision Lenticule Extraction): This is an advanced refractive surgery which is minimally invasive. Eye surgeons use this technique to correct myopic astigmatism. A lenticule is removed from the cornea through a 2mm The vision recovery from SMILE eye surgery is fast and smooth.

What complications can arise due to long-standing astigmatism?

Leaving astigmatism untreated for a long while may result in complications. For instance, an individual may develop a lazy eye or amblyopia if they have astigmatism in just one eye or varying degrees of astigmatism in both eyes. In addition, such a condition often also causes too much eyestrain and headaches, making it difficult for you to lead a smooth life. Hence, it’s

not a wise choice to let astigmatism grow worse with time. Seek timely medical attention from an experienced eye doctor.

See an eye doctor without any further delay, save your vision!

When you notice yourself to be struggling with symptoms of eye astigmatism, get in touch with an eye doctor without hesitating. Your eye doctor will conduct a thorough eye checkup to understand your condition and then suggest a suitable treatment of astigmatism. To get a comprehensive eye check, contact Centre For Sight. We have a team of 200+ eye specialists and surgeons to provide advanced eye care for you. To book your consultation for a comprehensive eye checkup and treatment, log on to https://www.centreforsight.net/