Astigmatism and Contact Lenses: Clear Vision for Irregular Corneas

Astigmatism is a common refractive error, along with nearsightedness, farsightedness, and presbyopia. Each error occurs when the light entering the eye does not focus correctly on the retina. Fortunately, glasses, contacts, or surgery make refractive vision errors highly treatable. Liberty Eye Care in Athens, TN, is here to tell you about astigmatism and how contact lenses can help correct it.

Understanding Astigmatism and Its Symptoms

The light entering your eye travels through the cornea and the lens behind your pupil. Both parts refract, or bend, the light before it lands on the retina at the back of your eye. An irregular cornea shape causes light to scatter rather than focus when it falls on the retina, resulting in astigmatism. People with astigmatism often experience blurred or distorted vision, eyestrain and discomfort, headaches, and difficulty with night vision.

Diagnosing Astigmatism

We diagnose astigmatism using eye exams that require several tools or measurements. Our optometrist may use an eye chart or a phoropter to assess your visual clarity. Our optometrist may also use an autorefractor and keratometer to measure the physical structure of your eyes. These exams are critical because astigmatism requires lenses with multiple corrections, unlike nearsightedness and farsightedness, which need a single correction. The combination of exams helps determine the correction levels you need in your lenses.

Treating Astigmatism With Contact Lenses

While glasses also work for correcting astigmatism, some people prefer the freedom and convenience of contact lenses. Astigmatism requires special contact lenses called toric lenses. These contacts contain different refractive powers between the horizontal and vertical planes of the lenses. Doing this corrects astigmatism along with other vision problems. Toric lenses also have a stabilizing feature to ensure they stay oriented on your eye for consistent vision correction.

Visit Your Eye Doctor in Athens, TN, for Astigmatism Correction Today

If you want to understand your options for treating astigmatism or other vision issues, consider contacting us at Liberty Eye Care in Athens, TN. Dr. Eric Selander can evaluate your eyes and recommend glasses or contacts to help you achieve visual clarity and comfort. Call us and schedule an eye exam today at (423) 436-8972 to ensure healthy eyes and vision.