If you’ve found that you’re experiencing blurred vision or headaches, it’s always a good idea to visit your eye doctor. There are several possible causes for these symptoms, but astigmatism is one of the most common.
Whether you’re looking for new astigmatism glasses to correct blurry vision or are wondering what to look for to determine if you need astigmatism glasses, read on—our guide covers the major symptoms of astigmatism and the types of corrective lenses that can be used.
What Is Astigmatism?
Astigmatism is a condition where the cornea or the lens is distorted. The cornea is the outer part at the front of the eye and is generally spherical. In an astigmatism eye, the cornea is unevenly shaped so light focuses on the back of the eye (the retina) irregularly.
Astigmatism is not necessarily associated with a disease and may be normal for you. Ask your eye doctor if this applies to you. There are two types of astigmatism, corneal and lenticular. Lenticular astigmatism affects the lens that sits behind the cornea in the eye and can be affected by cataracts.
With the Rule Astigmatism
This is the more common type of astigmatism and generally the easiest one to treat with glasses and contact lenses. With the rule astigmatism looks like an oval that’s wider than it is tall.
Against the Rule Astigmatism
Not as common but still very prevalent, against the rule astigmatism can be treated with glasses and contacts but the contact lenses may have to be specially ordered as they may not be in stock on site. Your doctor will present the best options for you during your exam and will let you know the best type of lenses for you.
How to Tell If You Have Astigmatism
There is no way to know if you have astigmatism without having an eye exam. Astigmatism is typically congenital, meaning that you have it from birth. It can remain dormant and become problematic over time or manifest itself from a young age. It’s important to schedule regular appointments with an eye doctor for your child because it might develop as they grow.
It can also be acquired. This is typically due to an injury caused either by an accident, surgery for cataracts, or another condition. Irregular astigmatism is most often caused by one of these factors.
Typical symptoms of astigmatism include:
- Blurry vision – you might have difficulty identifying objects or making out faces.
- Headaches – refractive errors cause the brain to struggle with the images it’s trying to process. This can lead to headaches as the brain tries to make sense of what the eyes see.
- Strained eyes
- Poor night vision
If you or your child starts experiencing these types of symptoms without explanation, you should take them to an eye doctor immediately. If the issue isn’t addressed early on, it can lead to conditions like amblyopia (lazy eye) and ongoing discomfort.
How Glasses Help With Astigmatism
Glasses resolve refractive problems by using a specially curved lens to change the direction light enters the eye. In patients with astigmatism glasses or contact lenses focus the light properly on the retina.
Types of Astigmatism Glasses
There are several types of astigmatism glasses and lenses. Speak to your eye doctor to understand which is most appropriate for you.
Single-Vision Lens Glasses
Single-vision glasses are prescribed for many refractive errors. Generally, single-vision lenses are prescribed for patients under 45 or for patients that wish to have a dedicated pair of glasses for specific tasks like distance only, computer only, or reading only.
How They Help
The prescription power is the same across the entire lens. For refractive errors, the lens is adjusted to “correct” the refraction, so light passes through the eye at a single focal point.
Who They’re Best For
They are good for anyone.
Bifocal or Progressive Lens Glasses
Progressive glasses are designed to correct vision for distance, intermediate range, and near range.
Bifocals clear the vision for the distance and reading in general but can be made to have any of the
3 focal distances corrected.
Who They’re Best For
They are ideal for patients that require a reading prescription.
Rigid Gas Permeable Lenses
RGP lenses are suitable for patients for a variety of reasons.
The main ones include patients with high astigmatism or myopia where soft contact lenses are not manufactured.
Keratoconus or another corneal dystrophy where the cornea has an irregularity that can be best corrected with an RGP lens to give the best vision.
Soft Toric Lenses
Soft toric lenses are great options for patients that may not want to wear glasses at least all the time.
How They Help
By correcting multiple refractive errors at once on the same lens the light is refracted to the retina properly.
Who They’re Best For
Soft toric lenses are usually the first option lenses.
Finding the Best Astigmatism Glasses
You don’t need to live with blurry vision or strained eyes. If you’ve been experiencing symptoms of astigmatism and feel that astigmatism glasses may be a solution for you, schedule an eye appointment with our team at True Eye today. We will be able to offer a full consultation to determine what it will take to get you to see clearly.