Best remedies for astigmatism

Over seventy percent of the world's population suffers from some form of visual disturbance requiring the use of lenses or eye surgery to correct them. Most people are

familiar with the terms nearsightedness and farsightedness, but what about the other eye ailment namely, astigmatism? Astigmatism affects many people yet the common individual does not understand the illness. The details on effective astigmatism treatment are comparatively less in the public domain.. Fortunately, there is a wide array of treatments available to individuals suffering from astigmatism, including but not limited to specialized astigmatism contact lenses and corrective surgery. In this article, we will give you all the information you need to know about this common ailment.

Remedies for astigmatism

Over the last few years, the field of corrective treatment for astigmatism has grown by leaps and bounds. Many options are now available to the astigmatism sufferer, who had only the option of eyeglasses just a few years ago. Cures for astigmatism can be grouped into two major categories: surgical and non-surgical options.

Unless a person's astigmatism is very severe, the ailment ca n generally be corrected with eyeglasses or contact lenses. An easy giveaway to answer the question of whether or not you have an astigmatism can be found in you eyeglass or contact lens prescription. If your prescription has three parts rather than two, your eyecare physician has determined that you have astigmatism. As mentioned above, most of the time the astigmatism can be corrected with simple glasses or contact lenses. Even severe astigmatism can be corrected with a special type contact lens. These lenses are more rigid, and are called rigid gas permeable lenses, or RGP's. RGP's should not be confused with the old style hard contact lenses, which are now obsolete. RPG's are less expensive and more durable than soft lenses. In addition, they last for years, and they provide better vision than soft lenses do.

Surgical astigmatism treatment includes LASIK, and Photo-refractive Keratectomy, or PRK. LASIK surgery involves making a laser incision into the cornea (the surface) of the eye, and removi ng tissue behind the cornea in order to better refract light and produce clearer vision. PRK also uses a laser to remove microscopic pieces of eye tissue from the front of the cornea, reshaping it, to better refract light and thereby producing clearer vision. As with any surgery there is the possibility of complication, but the benefits include permanent correction of the astigmatism without any use of glasses or lenses.

What is astigmatism

Before we explain anything further, we should answer the question, "What is astigmatism?" The normal cornea is spherical shaped, much like a baseball. In astigmatism the cornea is more oblong, looking more like a football or an egg. In people with astigmatism, the lens focuses on two different areas in the back of the eye instead of one as seen in the normal eye because of the football shape. As a result, the person's vision is usually very clear in certain areas, and not clear in certain other areas. Generally, astigmatism is hereditary. Many people are born wi th an odd shaped cornea that becomes more oblong over time, creating bad vision for the individual. Astigmatism can also occur from scarring associated with eye injuries or eye surgeries. Finally, astigmatism is associated with several eye diseases that cause thinning of the cornea.

What are the symptoms

Symptoms of astigmatism are directly associated with the severity of the disease. Mild astigmatism will usually be manifested as blurred vision. Often times, the blurred areas may be noticed in distinct areas of the visual field. One's eyesight may be very clear in areas of the visual field and very fuzzy in other areas. Moderate and severe astigmatism will not only result in blurred vision, but may also lead to headaches, eyestrain and poor vision at all distances.

Preventive measures

Unfortunately, astigmatism is most often present at birth and is caused by hereditary factors. Therefore you must take preventive measures rather than waiting for the disease and then trying to cure it. As chi ldren become old, the astigmatism worsens .Since the disease is hereditary, there are no preventive measures in the market today for astigmatism. The only non-hereditary causes of astigmatism involve scarring from traumatic eye injuries or surgery.

Astigmatism is a hereditary eye condition in which the cornea is oddly shaped producing all sorts of visual disturbances. Astigmatism treatment varies, but includes surgical and non-surgical options. Special astigmatism contact lenses are the most promising new non-surgical treatment on the market, and are being widely used with much success. Of course surgical options are now providing a permanent fix to the astigmatism problem. With all these options out there, you have no reason in not getting yourself checked if you suspect astigmatism. Make an appointment with an eye care doctor at the earliest.