Astigmatism Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

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Astigmatism is a very common and treatable imperfection in the curvature of the cornea in the front of the eye which can cause blurred distance and near vision.

Astigmatism can be corrected by laser surgery or lens replacement surgery.

What is astigmatism?

Astigmatism is a common visual disorder. Astigmatism is caused by the irregular shape of the eye affecting the way that light rays are focused, resulting in distorted vision. However, this visual defect is easily treatable.

Astigmatism is caused by the eye not being regular or spherical in its shape. In normal vision, the cornea and the lens work together to refract the light that enters the eye through the pupil. The eye is shaped so that the refraction, or bending of the light, happens in exactly the right way to focus the light perfectly and produce an accurate image on the retina. In a person without astigmatism, the cornea is a regular sphere, like a football.

A patient with astigmatism experiences a refractive error, caused by the shape of the cornea or the lens. Typically, their eyes will be shaped more like an oval than a perfect sphere. This means that their vision will be blurred or distorted because the light rays are not coming together and focusing in the right place.

This means the refractive components of the eye (the parts that focus light) do not allow the light rays to meet in the correct place. The result is blurred or distorted vision, where objects can appear blurry or elongated in a particular direction.

Astigmatism symptoms

People with astigmatism suffer from blurred vision and/or eye strain.

Without optical correction, there is no way the optical system can compensate for the refractive error caused by an irregular shape of the eye. As a result, untreated sufferers of astigmatism can experience symptoms including:

Blurred vision
Eye strain and discomfort
Squinting or ‘screwing up’ of eyes
Headaches
Fatigue
Difficulty with night vision

What causes astigmatism?

Often, astigmatism is hereditary. However, it can also occur as a result of scarring, previous surgery, previous injury to the eye or certain eye conditions.

Hereditary (there is quite a strong hereditary link with this disorder, so if family members have astigmatism you are more likely to have it, too)

Previous scarring, trauma or surgery

Certain eye conditions (such as keratoconus and pterygia)

What are the astigmatism treatment options?

Glasses, contact lenses and laser eye surgery are all appropriate methods of treatment.

For those seeking to correct this condition with laser eye surgery, the LASIK and LASEK/TransPRK are very effective methods of correction. Astigmatism can also be corrected at the time of cataract surgery with an appropriate toric lens implant.

Astigmatism surgery

Astigmatism surgery uses a laser to alter the shape of the cornea in two meridians to ensure that every distortion is corrected.

The laser procedure will also correct your long- or short-sightedness if this is present and the whole procedure takes around ten to fifteen minutes. One eye can be corrected immediately after the other.

Why you should choose us for astigmatism surgery

Our surgeons are known all over the world and are some of the best in the country, with over 30,000 completed surgeries between them. We treat many surgeons, doctors and anaesthetists who also refer their friends and family to us as they know they will be in safe hands with our expert surgeons. We are involved in the forefront of laser and lens surgery whilst at the cutting edge of research in these areas.

Eye surgery requires perfect precision, that’s why we have invested in only the latest and most advanced technology. We are not tied into any particular company or manufacturer which means we have complete freedom to choose the best from the many options available offering you a treatment tailored to you.