By Dr. Michael L. Hopen, Ophthalmologist

Astigmatism is an optical condition in which light rays from an object do not focus to a single point on the retina because of variations in the curvature of the cornea. Astigmatism can cause blurring and distortion of the vision.

The cornea without astigmatism is a smooth sphere and has the shape and curvature of a basketball. The cornea with astigmatism has a more oblong shaped like that of a football.

We now have many options to treat astigmatism. Many people are satisfied having their astigmatism corrected with glasses. Others prefer specialized contact lenses to correct a certain degree of their astigmatism.

Surgical options for astigmatism management include laser vision correction (e.g., photo refractive keratectomy or PRK), astigmatic keratotomy — during which relaxing incisions are placed in the cornea — and lens-based surgery (cataract surgery).

Neutralizing the astigmatism caused from the cornea with an intraocular lens during cataract surgery is a very effective way to improve the optical system. At the Indiana Eye Clinic, we are able to address a wide range of regular astigmatism with toric intraocular lenses. An added advantage of having surgery at the Indiana Eye Clinic includes our ability to utilize the newest technology during the surgical procedure (such as ORA wavefront) in order to ensure that the toric lens is placed in the optimal position.

Please feel free to ask your Optometrist or Ophthalmologist about your astigmatism correcting options during your next visit!

Sources:

American Academy of Ophthalmology BCSC – Clinical Optics

https://nei.nih.gov/health/errors/astigmatism

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