The Distorted World of Astigmatism

A refractive error is a condition that causes the eye to refract incoming light abnormally, which makes it impossible for images to come into clear focus on the retina without some help from your optometrist in Knightdale. In a simple refractive error such as myopia (nearsightedness) or hyperopia (farsightedness), the eyeball is too elongated or foreshortened to accommodate incoming light properly. In astigmatism, however, the abnormalities occur at the front of the eye. Instead of presenting a normally smooth corneal curvature, the cornea of the astigmatic eye has pits, bulges or other distortions that occur along imaginary lines or angles we call meridians.

Astigmatism can take a variety of forms that cause different kinds of distortion. In myopic astigmatism, for instance, the distortion causes nearsightedness; in hyperopic astigmatism, the distortion produces areas of farsightedness. You can even have mixed astigmatism in which you experience both nearsighted and farsighted zones. The meridians themselves may occur along 90-degree angles (“regular” astigmatism) or they may follow less predictable paths (“irregular” astigmatism). To complicate things even further, your astigmatism may be accompanied by classic myopia, hyperopia and/or presbyopia (an age-related problem in which the lens cannot shift focus between distances easily).

Corrective Strategies From Your Optometrist in Knightdale

Your optometrist in Knightdale can help you overcome the visual challenges presented by astigmatism. If you’re having difficulty seeing specific lines on an eye chart, we can confirm a case of astigmatism through detailed examination of the corneas and their refractive patterns. Retinoscopy shows us exactly how light is being refracted into the eye, while a device called a keratometer reveals the curvature of the cornea. We will record your astigmatism in terms of the “sphere,” or the meridian of greater corneal distortion, and the “cylinder,” or meridian of lesser corneal distortion.

Eyeglasses do a superb job of correcting most cases of astigmatism — but so can state-of-the-art contact lenses. Your optometrist in Knightdale can provide specialized lenses such as toric contacts, which correct the individual areas of corneal distortion without shifting or rotating out of position (unlike ordinary soft contacts). Scleral contacts, which rest of the white of the eye instead of the cornea, can also provide excellent astigmatism correction.

The Eye Institute ‘s Services Can Clarify Your Vision

The Eye Institute can help you see the world clearly despite your astigmatism. Call 919-266-2048 to avail yourself of our advanced eye care services!