Most people who wear glasses will have heard the word “astigmatism” at some point. What exactly is it, and how does it affect people and their sight? An astigmatism simplyput is when your eye isn’t completely round. It could either bend out like a football, or in like a spoon. How it’s shaped will determine how light is bent and as a result, how our eyesight is impaired. Most people have some degree of this, and the degree of curvature decides how severe a person’s eyesight is altered.
Most people first notice it because they’re experiencing blurry vision, eye strain, and headaches. To find out what’s going on, they go to the eye doctor. It’s through an appointment with a professional that an astigmatism can be diagnosed. Once you know that your blurry vision isn’t being caused by something else, you can work with your doctor to look at different treatment options.
Treatments for An Astigmatism Vary
The most common treatment for astigmatisms is the use of glasses or contacts. Most people find that the blurriness that was bothering them is completely gone with the right prescription lens! Over time, this prescription may have to change, but working with your doctor is the best course for making sure your glasses or contacts help you see to the best of your ability.
Another common treatment is laser eye surgery. Using a laser, doctors are able to change the shape of the eye so that any issues seeing is resolved. The patient must have healthy eyes to choose this option of treatment, but most people who are used to wearing glasses will find the new freedom of seeing without them liberating.
There is very little that people can do to prevent an astigmatism because most people are born with them. Though this is the case most of the time, there are some things that can be done to prevent an astigmatism from getting worse. Wearing a very specific kind of rigid contact lens could prevent an astigmatism from progressing, though this is used only in very specific cases.
A Healthy Diet is Good For Your Eyesight
For the majority of people, keeping your eyesight as healthy as possible is as close to prevention as we can get. Some things to consider include: Keeping a healthy diet filled with a large variety of minerals and nutrients to feed your body, and also your eyes. One of the most important foods for eyes is salmon, which contains many nutrients that keep eyes safe and healthy. Another important step is to stay away from doing things that cause you eye strain, such as watching television for too long, or using a computer for most of the day. These things won’t cause an astigmatism, but that could make one worse.
So many people wear glasses and contacts to treat their astigmatism that eye care is easily accessible and openly talked about. If you have any questions about ways to keep your eyes healthy, or concerns about new developments involving your eye sight, it’s always best to contact a doctor immediately to have your sight checked.
See an Optometrist in Centralia
If you are concerned about your eyesight, contact Innovations in Eyecare today to schedule an appointment with an eye doctor in Centralia at (360) 736-7385