Astigmatism

astigmatic image

astigmatic image

 

Astigmatism or presence there of yields a focusing error.This  causes image distortion and irregular blur.The object being viewed may appear smeared or smudged in one direction.A lot of patients with astigmatic errors squint to see better.

There are three reasons for the astigmatism to appear. The first and by far most common is buckling and distortion of the front surface of the eye called the cornea. The front tissue may resemble the shape of a football, rather than the soccer ball.Effectively this eye shape will not allow for the light to effectively focus at the back of the eye.

There are many triggers which can cause this to occur spanning from hereditary expression through to hormonal variations.

The second reason for astigmatism, is tilting of the lens inside the eye. This may be seen in individuals after frontal eye trauma or who have certain connective tissue disorders .

The third reason, is tilting of the retinal elements at the back of the eye. The retinal photo receptors dound at the back of the eye, point up a little like fibers on a velvet, and their mis-orientation can induce astigmatic distortion.

Astigmatism can be corrected quite accurately with spectacles, contact lenses, lenticular implants, and with variable degree of success ; refractive laser surgery, namely, LASIK, PRK and SMILE procedures utilizing careful vector planning.

Discuss your finding with Chris at an appointment..