What Causes Astigmatism?

NewVision Clinics are the experts in performing laser eye surgery for astigmatism in East Melbourne, Cheltenham and Windsor. We have many years of experience in LASIK surgery and PRK laser eye surgery, with thousands of successful clinical outcomes. Read below to learn more about the causes of astigmatism, what it is and how to correct it.

What is Astigmatism?

Astigmatism is a refractive eye condition that results in blurred vision, both with nearby objects and far away objects, and is attributed to the shape of the cornea. The cornea should be completely round like a golf ball, however, with this condition the curvature of the cornea is oval. This affects the way the light refracts onto the retina. When the cornea lens fails to focus the light correctly, blurred vision is the result. Other symptoms may include squinting, fatigue and headaches.

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What Causes Astigmatism?

Astigmatism can be caused by injury, eye disease, genetics or age. Some people incorrectly attribute astigmatism to sitting too close to screens or reading in the dark, but that is not the case.

How is Astigmatism Treated?

Astigmatism can be treated by wearing prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses, or undergoing laser eye surgery for astigmatism. LASIK surgery is the most common form of laser eye surgery. Precision lasers shape the cornea allowing it to refract light clearly onto the retina. LASIK surgery is the most common form of surgery for astigmatism, but advanced PRK laser surgery may also be used in some cases.

How is Astigmatism Measured?

NewVision Clinics takes the measurement of spectacle refraction, manual keratometry, topography and aberrations into account when determining your astigmatism diagnosis and potential treatment. Unlike other clinics, we treat the corneal astigmatism as well as the spectacle refraction, resulting in superior treatment outcomes.

 

If you are interested in PRK laser surgery or LASIK surgery for your astigmatism, feel free to get in touch with NewVision Clinics on 1800 20 20 20 today.