When do you need to see your optometrist to detect astigmatism?
It's not unusual for people who are nearsighted or farsighted also to have some degree of astigmatism. There are several unmistakable signs of astigmatism that could indicate the need for an eye exam. Trust our optometrists Dr. Krister L. Holmberg and Dr. Shephali Patel in Sacramento at Arena Eye Care Optometrist for an eye exam that will answer your questions about astigmatism.
How bad is my astigmatism?
Astigmatism throws your eyes out of focus. Unlike myopia that gives you poor focus on all distant objects and farsightedness that gives you poor focus up close, astigmatism interferes with sharp vision at all points in your field of vision. You can have 20/20 vision, but astigmatism can still give you a blurry picture of the world. If the front side of your cornea were perfectly round, you would have no astigmatism symptoms. Most of us, however, have corneas that are closer to football-shaped in turn they do not focus light perfectly on our retinas.
Your eye doctor can measure the severity of your astigmatism with an astigmatism test that measures the curvature of the front of your cornea with a device called a topographer. There is also a screening test for astigmatism that involves looking a chart with something that looks like spokes of a wheel. The severity of your astigmatism is measured in units called diopters. 0 to 2 diopters is mild astigmatism, 2 to 4 diopters of astigmatism significantly interferes with your vision, and more than 4 diopters is severe astigmatism.
What causes astigmatism to worsen?
Many of us are born with astigmatism, but sometimes astigmatism is a complication of an eye injury. The combination of myopia and astigmatism is especially difficult for children. Astigmatism in children sets the stage for a lifetime of having to catch up in school.
There are rare cases in which astigmatism results from a condition of deterioration of the cornea known as keratoconus. This is something your eye doctor will notice in eye exams and that you can eventually have corrected.
No one has to live poor vision caused by astigmatism. Let Arena Eyecare Optometry help.
Dr. Krister L. Holmberg and Dr. Shephali Patel at Arena Eye Care Optometry are ready to be your optometrist in Sacramento. Request an appointment online, or call us at (916) 419-8167. Arena Eye Care Optometry's office is located at 2087 Arena Blvd #120, Sacramento, CA, 95834.
