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Astigmatism
What should I do if I have astigmatism in my eyes?
Astigmatism should be corrected by wearing astigmatic lenses. Astigmatism is a type of refractive error where the refractive power of the eye varies along different axes, resulting in a refractive abnormality. Particularly with high degrees of astigmatism, there may be symptoms such as blurred vision, distorted vision, or even eye fatigue. Therefore, once astigmatism is detected, it is important to visit a hospital for a medical eye examination promptly. It is recommended that astigmatism of 50 to 75 degrees or more should be timely corrected with glasses, otherwise prolonged uncorrected astigmatism can lead to severe eye fatigue. Additionally, if adult patients have other refractive errors such as myopia along with astigmatism, they could also consider undergoing laser surgery for myopia correction.
Can you wear contact lenses with 200 degrees of astigmatism?
Astigmatism of 200 degrees or less can be corrected by wearing regular contact lenses. However, when purchasing lenses, one needs to divide the astigmatism diopter by two and incorporate it into the prescription for myopia during the fitting process. If a patient's astigmatism exceeds 200 degrees, they typically are not suitable for regular contact lenses. Instead, they may opt for custom contact lenses with astigmatism correction or use rigid corneal contact lenses for correction. Patients with astigmatism should promptly visit an ophthalmology department at a hospital for an optometry examination to accurately determine their astigmatism and undergo vision correction tests. Following this, a doctor will issue a prescription for fitting contact lenses.
Can astigmatism and strabismus be corrected?
Astigmatism and strabismus can sometimes be corrected, depending on their severity. Astigmatism refers to the condition where parallel light rays entering the eye cannot focus on a single point on the retina after being refracted by the eye's optical system, instead forming two focal lines, ultimately failing to produce a clear image on the retina. Astigmatism can be categorized into regular and irregular types. Regular astigmatism can be corrected with cylindrical lenses in eyeglasses; while irregular astigmatism generally requires correction with contact lenses. Additionally, after reaching 18 years of age, astigmatism can also be corrected through refractive surgery. Generally, mild astigmatism does not impact vision and does not require special treatment; however, moderate to severe astigmatism, if uncorrected, might lead to amblyopia and other vision impairments. Strabismus means that when one eye is focusing, the visual axis of the other eye deviates from being parallel, presenting an abnormal eye position. It is generally recommended to start treatment immediately after diagnosing strabismus. If there is significant refractive error, glasses should be prescribed first. If glasses cannot correct the condition, surgery might be necessary.