Astigmatism is one of the most common vision problems. People who have this condition experience blurry or distorted vision, but it is easily diagnosed and treated by an eye doctor. Below, learn more about astigmatism, its causes, and the treatments. 

What Is Astigmatism?

With this condition, vision is blurred or distorted from a misshapen cornea within the eye. It can also be the result of the eye’s lens being too curved. When the cornea or lens has an irregular shape, light doesn’t focus properly on the retina, which is located in the back of the eye. The lack of focus creates blurred vision when viewing objects at a distance. Because astigmatism is a hereditary condition, many people are born with it. However, they may notice improved or worsened vision over time. People are also likely to have farsightedness, known as hyperopia, or nearsightedness, known as myopia, as well as astigmatism. These three issues are usually caused by the way the eyes receive and bend light.

What Are the Treatments?

In addition to blurred or distorted vision, eyestrain and difficulty seeing at night are symptoms of astigmatism. An eye doctor can make an official diagnosis after conducting a thorough eye exam using tools to measure sight. Aside from requiring you to read from an eye chart, they may also use equipment like a keratometer, which measures the curvature of your cornea using light.

Eye doctors will treat astigmatism with prescription eyeglasses and contacts to correct the vision. The lenses for this condition help light shift more in one direction than another. You could also opt for refractive surgery, which is a laser procedure, to correct the shape of your cornea.

If you think you may have astigmatism, head to Dalton Optometry. Located in Dalton, GA, and led by Dr. Charles Smith and his team, you will find a wide variety of optical services and products within their state-of-the-art facility to help you see clearly. They offer everything from disposable contact lenses to tips and treatments for astigmatism, macular degeneration, and glaucoma. Schedule an appointment with this eye doctor today by calling (706) 278-6113 or visiting his website.