Are you suffering from blurred or distorted visions of one or both of your eyes? Perhaps chronic headaches, light sensitivity, eye strains and even eye squints? If so, you might be suffering from the eye condition called 'astigmatism'. This is a medical term used for blurry vision which is caused by the misshapen cornea. In a normal eye, the cornea is symmetrically curved and shaped like a baseball, while in an astigmatic eye the shape of the cornea is oval. There are two types of astigmatism. One is called 'corneal astigmatism' caused by a deformed cornea, and the other is 'lenticular astigmatism' caused by a deformed shape of the lens.
How to diagnose astigmatism
To receive proper diagnosis, you have to consult an ophthalmologist or optometrist to thoroughly examine your eyes. Your ophthalmologist may use tools to diagnose your condition such as the visual test which involves reading letters on a chart. If you see the letters becoming smaller on each line then your Optician might suspect astigmatism. Another tool is the astigmatic dial chart which will show a series of semi-circle lines wherein you have to see the lines clearly otherwise you are diagnosed as astigmatic. An ophthalmometer is also a tool used to determine the degree of astigmatism in your eyes by measuring the reflection of an image on the surface of the cornea.
Treatments for Astigmatism
If you are diagnosed with astigmatism, you have the following options to choose from to treat your eye condition. Your ophthalmologist will also recommend the best treatment for your type of astigmatism depending on severity and lifestyle factors.
Corrective eye glasses or contact lenses are most commonly used to treat astigmatism by bending the coming light rays so the images will be properly received by the retina. However, corrective lenses are not a permanent cure for astigmatism. You may have to wear glasses with stronger prescriptions every year.
Another way of treating astigmatism is through laser eye surgery (PRK, LASEK or LASIK). In this type of surgery, the cornea epithelium will be removed in order to correct the shape of cornea and then again placed back onto the modified surface. The process can be a bit inconvenient and painful as well as expensive. However, it can permanently cure your astigmatism if done properly.
You also have the option to treat astigmatism through eye exercises and therapy where you will learn to enhance visual skills. The vision therapy is also an effective option to treat astigmatism and even other eye problems like nearsightedness (myopia) and farsightedness (hyperopia) as well as presbyopia (old-age blur) without having to undergo any expensive surgeries or wearing of corrective lenses.
You can also try Chinese acupuncture as another natural remedy for astigmatism. According to acupuncture Chinese practitioners, most vision disorders are due to poor liver function. With acupuncture, the target would be to strengthen the liver and restore body equilibrium. Stress can also aggravate astigmatism. With the acupuncture treatment, stress can also be relieved.
Author Resource:
Article written by Julia Wayne. Don't let astigmatism reduce your quality of life. Find out how you can get the right treatment for astigmatism and enjoy life with crystal clear eyesight. Visit http://www.refractiveeyedisorders.com for all your resources on refractive eye disorders and learn how you can best treat your eye condition.
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