Though it may seem that having 20/20 vision is the norm, the opposite is actually true. Refractive errors that blur the eyesight affect millions of Brits, children and adults alike. That includes 54% of those aged 40 to 69. Though myopia and hyperopia (near- and far-sightedness) may be the foremost kinds of refractive errors that come to mind, astigmatism is especially prevalent. It occurs if your eyes are imperfectly curved, distorting the light that enters them and affecting how clearly you see. According to Optimax, roughly half of the UK’s glasses wearers have it—and if you experience blurry vision, you may just be one of them. Also, you can prefer magnesium fluoride that is used in lenses which improves your blurry version with use of blue light glasses for better protection with harmful screen rays.
Though minor, the blurriness caused by astigmatism shouldn’t be something you ignore. Even if it doesn’t cause blindness, it can progress if left untreated, resulting in poor vision that can affect your independence and overall quality of life. That said, don’t be one of those Brits who optometrists find visit the dentist more than them. Astigmatism is highly treatable and even curable—so why not talk with your optometrist about the different treatment options available? Here are three you can discuss:
Glasses
Corrective glasses are the most common method for treating astigmatism. Unlike regular single-vision specs that treat myopia and hyperopia, these use cylindrical lenses—which come with different radius measurements on the x and y axis—to compensate for the imperfect curves of the wearer’s eyeballs. Aside from correcting blurry vision, these glasses help treat and relieve the other symptoms that come with astigmatism, such as eye strain, headaches, and difficulty seeing in low-light conditions. The lens material and coating you use will depend on the severity of your astigmatism. Retailers like Warby Parker offer sturdy polycarbonate lenses for mild to moderate cases, as well as high-index lenses for more severe conditions. They also provide anti-reflective lens coatings, which are especially crucial for combatting the light-distorting effects of astigmatism.
Contact lenses
Contacts are the next line of defence if you find that glasses don’t help relieve astigmatism’s symptoms. That’s because they’re more specifically designed to suit you depending on your unique eye measurements. Toric contact lenses are the kind most commonly used to correct astigmatism. Sold by brands like ACUVUE, these use two powers—sphere and cylinder—to bend light at a particular angle caused by the specific irregularity of your eye shape, ultimately correcting distorted vision. There are also speciality contact lenses available that are custom-made and used for treating more advanced cases of astigmatism. Rigid gas-permeable or RGP contacts, for example, are stiffer than soft toric lenses and can provide sharper vision. One kind of RGP lens, called ortho-k, can be worn overnight to reshape the eye, so the wearer can go eyewear-free during the day. It can also reverse astigmatism over time.
Corrective surgery
Though astigmatism won’t cause blindness, it can progress—due to factors like ageing—to a point where it can affect how well you can independently accomplish tasks on your own. Certain types of the condition, such as irregular astigmatism, also can’t be corrected with eyewear, which can effectively render you legally blind. In these cases, you can opt to undergo a surgical procedure to permanently fix the shape of your eyes. That procedure will likely be laser eye surgery, which the NHS explains can be done in about half an hour. As its name suggests, this method involves your surgeon using a laser to alter the shape of your eye and eliminate any irregularities. The cost for laser eye surgery varies depending on the clinic and specific needs, but it is a worthwhile investment for those seeking long-term correction. If you opt for corrective surgery, be sure to follow the aftercare plan devised by your surgical team to avoid unwanted complications like retinal detachment.
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