Astigmatism

Astigmatism Correction at Eye Care Center

Astigmatism is an annoying vision issue that blurs your vision whether you're trying to read the fine print or a distant road sign. This refractive error is caused by abnormal corneal curvature. The good news is that astigmatism can be corrected easily and effectively by our optometrists in Maple Grove, Maplewood. and Fridley. Eye Care Center will be happy to help you overcome this issue so you can see your world as clearly as possible.

Corneal Irregularities and Visual Distortion

It's believed that up to one-third of Americans has astigmatism, although, in some of them, the condition is so mild that they may not even notice it. Astigmatism is usually caused by small, but significant, irregularities in the corneal surfaces. Although in cases of lenticular astigmatism, the irregularity occurs in the lenses instead of the corneas. This makes astigmatism different from conditions such as classic myopia or hyperopia, which are caused by an irregularly-shaped eyeball. Those refractive errors only affect either near vision or distance vision. By contrast, astigmatism can make your vision either nearsighted, farsighted, or a combination of both. You can even have astigmatism and another refractive error at the same time.

Options for Treating Your Astigmatism

Our optometry team at Eye Care Center can diagnose astigmatism through a comprehensive eye exam. Using a device called a phoropter, we can make a variety of adjustments to see which ones bring your vision into proper focus. We can then write a prescription containing both the sphere (your degree of another refractive error, if applicable), your cylinder (the degree of astigmatism correction), and the axis (the degree/angle of the irregularity on a 180-degree scale).

Eyeglasses can correct astigmatism relatively easily. Contact lenses can also correct your vision, but you might require specialized lenses that will stay put and not rotate on the eye. Toric contacts are designed to hold their position. Astigmatism associated with keratoconus can be corrected with scleral contact lenses.

Our Optometrists in Maple Grove, Maplewood, and Fridley Can Help

Astigmatism can get in the way of your work, studies, driving, and everyday enjoyment of life, but our optometrists in Maple Grove, Maplewood and Fridley can help. Call any of our three locations today to schedule an eye exam!

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