Understanding what is astigmatism can make a huge difference in your eye health plans. Your vision is important, so you deserve to know everything there is to know about what is astigmatism and how this type of refractive error can affect your vision over time.
What is Astigmatism?
First things first: Astigmatisms are NOT eye diseases. Does astigmatism hurt? Not at all! Believe it or not, astigmatisms are a very common vision problem. 1 in 3 Americans have this common condition in some shape or form. It occurs when the corneas in your eyes (the clear lenses on the very front) have a non-perfect shape. This causes the curvature of your eye to be uneven. For many, this phenomenon can occur at a young age, while others might experience astigmatisms as they grow older. Can astigmatism be cured? Yes, laser surgery is a possibility that some people pursue. However, most people simply wear glasses with corrective lenses.
Charlotte, in Tortoiseshell and Purple
How Does an Astigmatism Affect Vision?
Understanding how astigmatisms affect your vision is essential to fully learning what is astigmatism in general. Due to the uneven curvatures in your eye, astigmatisms cause light to enter it in less-than optimal angles. This translates into your vision appearing unclear and blurry. Astigmatisms are just a single type of refractive error, and can occur in combination with others such as nearsightedness (myopia) and farsightedness (hyperopia).
What Causes an Astigmatism to Get Worse?
An astigmatism can get worse in many ways. However, this is completely natural. Our eyes are one of the most important tools we have, so using them for our entire lives often means that they’ll naturally grow weaker over time. Age is a big factor in astigmatism, after all. The best way to find out how to move forward is to consult an eye doctor.
Many believe that rubbing your eyes with too much force can further damage the curvature of your corneas. However, this is just a myth. As with most parts of your body, your eyeballs are more durable than you think!
We hope these brief bits of information about what is astigmatism helped answer some of your questions. For even more in-depth answers, check out our collection of Tips & Guides. Whether it’s about the fun of eyewear fashion or more technical subjects such as lens thickness, our team of specialists has an answer.
To restore perfect vision, getting the right pair of prescription eyeglasses is a must. By receiving your prescription from an eye doctor, you can find eyeglass lenses that can compensate for your vision problems. At Eyebuydirect, you can find awesome eyeglasses for just a fraction of the price. Click here to get started!
