Astigmatism Specialist

What is astigmatism?

Astigmatism is a very common refractive error in which you have a distorted cornea (corneal astigmatism) or lens (lenticular astigmatism) within your eye. 

When your cornea or lens is round, you refract light properly, but in astigmatism, the cornea or lens is more oval, which interferes with light processing and causes visual problems.

Corneal and lenticular astigmatism affect different parts of your eye, but they generally have the same effects. Blurry and distorted vision are common with any kind of astigmatism. 

It's very common to have astigmatism alongside myopia (nearsightedness) or hyperopia (farsightedness). 

What are the symptoms of astigmatism?

Mild astigmatism might not cause any obvious visual changes, but over time any amount of astigmatism can cause problems including: 

• Blurry vision
• Distorted vision
• Headaches
• Eyestrain
• Sore eyes
• Tired-feeling eyes

If you have uncorrected astigmatism, you might find yourself frequently squinting to see clearly, even if you're already wearing eyeglasses or contact lenses. 

If you develop one or more of these symptoms, schedule a visit to Bainbridge Eye Care promptly so you can get a diagnosis and immediate resolution.

What causes astigmatism?

Astigmatism is usually hereditary, and it's often present at birth. You can also develop astigmatism following an eye disease, eye trauma, or surgery. Reading in low-light conditions and being too close to a television screen don't cause astigmatism. 

How is astigmatism diagnosed?

Bainbridge Eye Care has all of the latest equipment on site, such as an autorefractor, to accurately diagnose your astigmatism. Usually, astigmatism diagnosis occurs during the course of your regular comprehensive eye exam. 

What is the best treatment for astigmatism?

The best treatments for astigmatism are eyeglasses and contact lenses that compensate for your eye irregularities. Bainbridge Eye Care customizes your prescription through comprehensive eye exams and lens fittings in the on-site lab. 

High-quality glasses and contacts (toric lenses) can fully correct your astigmatism and other refractive errors like myopia or hyperopia at the same time.  Options include a wide variety of single-vision lenses and progressive lenses. 

If you have astigmatism and other refractive errors along with specific challenges like prolonged screen time or glare, you can get special lenses like Eye Zen™, Crizal® Prevencia™, Crizal Sapphire® 360, Varilux® X Series™, and photochromic (transitioning) lenses. 

In rare cases, astigmatism might be so severe that glasses or contact lenses don't help. In those situations, you could need refractive eye surgery like LASIK to reshape your eye.

Book your appointment at Bainbridge Eye Care online or by phone now. Walk-ins are also welcome.