What should I do if I have astigmatism in my eyes?

Written by Wang Fang
Ophthalmology
Updated on September 01, 2024
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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.

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Can pseudomyopia cause astigmatism?

Pseudomyopia generally does not involve astigmatism. Pseudomyopia is caused by ciliary muscle spasm, while astigmatism is due to changes in the curvature of the cornea, or changes in the eyeball itself; these two are not the same. Pseudomyopia can be completely cured with proactive treatment, adequate rest, reducing close-up activities, avoiding eye fatigue, and using eye drops that alleviate ciliary muscle paralysis, such as low-concentration atropine eye drops and digoxin eye drops. If not treated actively, prolonged pseudomyopia can turn into true myopia. True myopia involves elongation of the eye axis, leading to blurred distance vision but clear near vision. Therefore, when this occurs, a proper dilated refraction test should be conducted. (Medication should be used under the guidance of a physician.)

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Will nearsightedness and astigmatism lead to blindness?

Myopia and astigmatism are common eye diseases and belong to two types of refractive errors, which can occur together. Myopia combined with astigmatism can lead to a decrease in vision, but it will not cause blindness. For patients with myopia and astigmatism, there are various methods to correct and treat these conditions, such as wearing frame glasses, rigid corneal contact lenses, undergoing laser surgery, or implanting artificial lenses to restore vision. In daily life, it is also important to develop good eye habits, avoiding using eyes in dim and shaking environments, and reducing the time spent on smartphones, TVs, and computers to prevent and delay the progression of myopia and astigmatism.

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Are there any treatments for high myopia and high astigmatism?

High myopia combined with high astigmatism can be treated in the following ways: First, correction by wearing frame glasses is the most widely adopted treatment method currently, which is affordable and safe. Second, using rigid corneal contact lenses for correction, which provide higher image quality than regular frame glasses. Third, correction can be done through laser surgery, such as excimer laser surgery, femtosecond laser surgery, and full femtosecond laser surgery, but it is only suitable for adult patients. Fourth, correction can be accomplished by implanting phakic intraocular lenses in the posterior chamber, generally suitable for patients whose corneal condition does not permit laser surgery, at a higher cost compared to laser surgery.

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Can astigmatism wear orthokeratology lenses?

Astigmatism below 300 degrees generally can be corrected with orthokeratology (OK) lenses. Astigmatism is a type of refractive error where the eye has different refractive powers in different meridians, causing parallel light rays passing through the eye's refractive system to refract improperly and form two focal lines instead of a single focal point on the retina, resulting in a blurred image. Astigmatism can be categorized into regular astigmatism and irregular astigmatism. Regular astigmatism can be corrected using cylindrical lenses or glasses, while irregular astigmatism may require correction with corneal contact lenses, OK lenses, or surgical correction. Common symptoms of astigmatism include blurred vision, reduced visual acuity, and easy eye fatigue, and sometimes may also present with symptoms such as head tilting and headaches. Therefore, it is advisable to seek consultation in the ophthalmology refractive department if astigmatism symptoms appear.

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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.