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Astigmatism
Astigmatism is a general distortion or smudginess of vision. It occurs when the cornea-the transparent outer portion of the eye that covers the front of the eye - is curved in one direction more than the other (making it more rugby ball shaped than round). This is most commonly present in association with either long or short sightedness.
It is easily compensated for with spectacles, although if these have never been worn before it may make take some time to adapt to the difference in vision. Things may seem tilted or distorted for the first few days although they should appear clearer. Astigmatism may also be treated with contact lenses although it may require a special lens type (toric) to do so.
The development of good vision only occurs until around the age of 10 and so the lazy eye must be detected and treated (if necessary) before this age.
If left untreated, even slight degrees of astigmatism may cause headaches, eyestrain and fatigue, especially after concentrated work such as studying or computer use. Higher degrees cause distorted or blurred vision. Early warning signs of astigmatism in children include squinting at things, poor reading ability or schoolwork, and eye irritation or discomfort.
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Amblyopia | Astigmatism | Cataracts | Childrens Vision | Conjunctivitis | Glaucoma | Hypermetropia | Macular Degeneration | Myopia | | Presbyopia | Retinitis Pigmentosa |
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