Astigmatism Eye Surgery Offers a Clear Solution To a Common Condition

Do you ever find yourself really straining to see road signs or even words in a book due to blurriness? Are you constantly squinting, or do you experience a lot of eye irritation and discomfort? Do you suffer from unexplained headaches or nausea, or often feel fatigued for no real reason? If you answer yes to any of these questions, a common visual impairment may be affecting your vision - even if you don’t know what it is.

What Is A Stigmatism?

“Astigmatism” occurs when the surface of your eye - the cornea - is irregularly shaped. The irregularity prevents light from focusing as precisely as it should on the back of your eye, and blurred vision results. Although it is usually the irregularly shaped cornea at fault, sometimes it is the lens behind the cornea that is irregularly shaped and causes vision problems.

What Causes Astigmatism?

Astigmatism is often a hereditary condition. Studies indicate that astigmatism may be partly due to environmental factors, as well. The repetition of certain eye movement patterns may result in astigmatism. For example, scanning rows of numbers daily at a job for several years may be a contributing factor to astigmatism. A poor diet may be another contributing factor.

Is It Serious?

Some cases of astigmatism are more severe than others. Most visual impairments caused by astigmatisms can be corrected with individually prescribed eyeglasses or contacts. Today, there is also the option of astigmatism eye surgery.

For many, astigmatism eye surgery offers a permanent, convenient solution to a problem they would rather not live with. If astigmatism is affecting the way you perform daily tasks or interfering with your lifestyle, surgery might be the best option.

Could Astigmatism Eye Surgery Really Help Me?

Most cases of astigmatism can be corrected with surgery, however some irregular astigmatisms cannot. Astigmatism eye surgery modifies the cornea so vision is generally improved to greater than 20/40. Your vision following surgery is likely to be similar to what it was when using glasses or contacts prior to the procedure.

Because the cornea is comprised of living tissue, healing after surgery takes place at varying rates. Many individuals experience the benefits of their vision correction within one week. It is possible however that astigmatism eye surgery may need to be performed again in the event of over-correction or under-correction.

Is Surgery Painful?

Astigmatism eye surgery should be a pain-free procedure. All that is required are aesthetic eye drops – no injections, and no hospitalization! The surgery should be completed within about five minutes per eye. Vision may be blurry for a few days following surgery and you may experience irritation similar to that felt when “something’s in your eye.” Eye drops will need to be used according to prescription for 2 or 3 weeks following surgery. That’s all there is to it!

If you’ve been diagnosed with astigmatism or think you may be experiencing symptoms associated with it, have your eyes checked out by a professional. After a confirmed diagnosis, consider surgery if your lifestyle calls for a fast, permanent, cost-effective solution. Astigmatism eye surgery can offer advantages you can clearly see!