It is advised that at least once a year, the average person attends an eye test.
This is particularly important for children and those who may have a family history of eye disorders. There is a reason why all members of the same family usually wear glasses, and if your parents and your older siblings wear glasses, then there is even more of a reason to keep up to date with your eye tests.
Indeed, one of the visual ailments with the strongest genetic predisposition is astigmatism. This is a scientific way of saying that instead of your eye being round, it has more of a rugby ball shape.
So, if you are curious, read on to learn more about the symptoms of astigmatism, as well as the most successful treatment options.
Blurred Vision
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Starting with an obvious one, a symptom of astigmatism is that your eyesight may be blurred, even when looking at things that are right in front of you.
This is more obvious in school children, as they are required to look at a board in order to learn, and if they have astigmatism, they will likely struggle to do this. Of course, blurred vision can also be a sign of a corneal issue or even trauma to the eye, both of which can be reversed with SMILE eye surgery. If you want to treat astigmatism with eye surgery, the best option is LASIK.
Difficulty Seeing at Night
This sounds laughable, as humans generally don’t see well at night.
However, if the midnight trip to the bathroom in the dark has you feeling the walls to find your way every night, then it can be a sign of astigmatism. This symptom is also the most dangerous one, as you don’t want to be falling over when trying to find your way in the dark, so be sure to get it checked!
Eye Fatigue
How do you spot eye fatigue?
Your eyes may look red, puffy, sunken, may ache, may feel dry, and, of course, you may be rubbing them regularly.
This is often a sign of over-straining your eyes, which, as you’ve picked up by now, can be a sign of astigmatism.
Headaches
Nobody likes headaches, but, as an optician will tell you, they can be a sign that you may be having issues with your eyesight.
With astigmatism, you may suffer from headaches that are focused around your temples, particularly after you have been reading, looking at a screen, or otherwise straining your eyes.
So, if you suffer from regular headaches, it is worth checking in with your optician just to make sure that astigmatism is not an underlying cause.
Treatment Options
When it comes to treating astigmatism, the most popular option is glasses which will usually need to be worn long-term.
You can also get prescription contact lenses for astigmatism, but many people prefer glasses as they are simply easier to wear in daily life.
If your astigmatism is worsening as you get older, it may be more cost-effective to opt for LASIK treatment, which can be used to reshape your eyeball and alleviate the issue altogether.
