How to protect eyes with astigmatism

Written by Wang Fang
Ophthalmology
Updated on September 04, 2024
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Some patients have congenital astigmatism, while most of the patients have acquired astigmatism. The occurrence of astigmatism is mostly due to improper sitting posture. It is caused by looking at objects from an inclined angle rather than directly from the eyes' proper axis. Especially lying down while reading or using smartphones can easily lead to an increase in astigmatism. If astigmatism is not corrected, it can easily worsen eye fatigue, thereby inducing a further increase in the degree of vision problems. In daily life, it is important to correct poor sitting postures and avoid situations such as lying down while reading or using smartphones. Engage more in outdoor activities, and limit reading sessions to no more than half an hour at a time. Consuming more vitamins A, D, C, E, and lutein in the diet can also help in preventing astigmatism.

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Written by Hu Shu Fang
Ophthalmology
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Astigmatism refers to a type of refractive error in which the eye does not focus light evenly onto the retina, often due to an irregular shape of the cornea or lens.

Astigmatism is a type of refractive error. Because our eyes are not a perfect sphere, they are more like an egg shape, with different meridians having different refractive powers. Thus, after imaging, the axial images may form in front of or behind the retina, rather than forming a focal point on the retina. Normally, astigmatism of some small degrees and with good axial alignment may not significantly affect vision. However, high degrees of astigmatism, especially irregular astigmatism, will definitely impact visual quality and require the prescription of special lenses to correct the astigmatism.

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Written by Tao Yuan
Ophthalmology
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Can astigmatism be cured by wearing glasses?

Astigmatism cannot be completely cured by wearing glasses. Astigmatism is a common eye disease and a type of refractive error, usually caused by congenital developmental abnormalities. Some patients' astigmatism is related to poor eye habits, such as squinting for long periods, which can lead to astigmatism. The cornea of people with astigmatism has different refractive powers in the vertical and horizontal directions. Therefore, when light passes through the cornea and enters the eyeball, it cannot converge to form a perfect focus, causing the images projected on the retina to become blurry, and the patient will experience a decrease in vision. By conducting an optometric examination, the exact degree of astigmatism and the axis of astigmatism can be determined, and then corrected by wearing glasses. However, the purpose of correction is to improve the patient's vision, and it cannot eliminate the degree of astigmatism.

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Written by Li Zhuo
Ophthalmology
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Can children with astigmatism undergo laser surgery?

Firstly, laser surgery is generally performed after the age of 18, as people's eyes continue to grow. This means that just like when a person stops growing taller, the eyes also stop growing at a certain age. If laser surgery is performed too early, while the eyes are still growing, the results may regress over time. Therefore, astigmatism in children should only be addressed after they reach adulthood, usually after the age of 18, but we generally recommend waiting until after the age of 21. Additionally, if the progression of the eye prescription is less than 50 to 100 degrees per year, the surgery outcomes are more likely to be stable. Generally, laser surgery is primarily used for myopia, which pertains to issues with seeing distant scenes, whereas astigmatism, which generally affects horizontal vision, is usually not corrected through laser surgery.

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Written by Wang Fang
Ophthalmology
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Will astigmatism cause the pupils to enlarge?

Astigmatism of the eye is a type of refractive error caused by an uneven curvature of the cornea's surface, resulting in different refractive powers along different axes. Once astigmatism occurs, particularly with a high degree of astigmatism, there can be a noticeable decrease in vision, distortion in sight, or in severe cases, significant eye fatigue. However, it generally does not lead to pupil dilation. Pupil dilation is caused by the paralysis of the ciliary muscle due to internal and external factors, resulting in enlarged pupils. Therefore, if symptoms of astigmatism appear, it is advisable to visit a hospital promptly for accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

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Written by Zheng Xin
Ophthalmology
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Can farsightedness and astigmatism be corrected with glasses?

Hyperopia is a condition where parallel rays of light entering the eye focus behind the retina, preventing external objects from forming a clear image on the retina. This condition is referred to as hyperopia. Astigmatism is due to the cornea of the eye having a certain curvature, with light bending unevenly across the cornea due to its irregular curvature, causing different refractive indices on each meridian of the cornea. This results in the light rays not focusing on the same focal point, thereby preventing the rays from accurately focusing on the retina to form a clear image. This condition is known as astigmatism. Both hyperopia and astigmatism are types of refractive errors, and wearing glasses can correct them. It is also necessary to wear glasses promptly for correction.