Astigmatism

Astigmatism describes the shape of the cornea as being oval instead of a sphere.

Most Astigmatic Corneas have two types of curves. The curves are considered to be a steep curve as well as a flat curve. The presence of these two types of cornea curves causes light to focus on more than one point with in the eye. For this reason, Astigmatism can blur both near and far vision. Astigmatism often occurs along with nearsightedness or farsightedness. There are two common types of Astigmatism. When the cornea has a distorted shape, it is called Corneal Astigmatism. When the lens is distorted, it is called Lenticular Astigmatism. Either type of Astigmatism can cause blurred vision.

Astigmatism can be detected and measured with Corneal Topography, Keratometry, vision testing and refraction. Astigmatism tends to remain constant, neither improving nor deteriorating much over time. Astigmatism can be corrected with glasses, contacts, or a variety of surgical procedures. The most common surgeries used to correct Astigmatism are Astigmatic Keratotomy and LASIK. These procedures reshape the cornea so it becomes more spherical.