Astigmatism Treatment in Derry & Surrounding Areas

Bringing Your Blurry Vision Into Focus

Astigmatism is a very common eye condition that causes blurred vision, which can make simple things like reading street signs or focusing on words in a book difficult. Even if you wear corrective lenses or glasses for nearsightedness or farsightedness, astigmatism can prevent you from seeing clearly. Fortunately, experienced eye doctors from Spindel Eye Associates have the knowledge and skills to correct almost all cases of astigmatism. We used the most advanced technology and the latest techniques to provide you with the crystal-clear vision you deserve.

What is astigmatism?

Normally, the cornea (the clear front cover of the eye) and the lens are smooth and perfectly round, allowing light to enter into the eye and bend evenly. This gives you a clear view of the world. However, if you have astigmatism, your cornea or lens is shaped more like a football or the back of a spoon. When light enters the eye, it gets bent in more than one direction, which means that part of the object you are looking at is always out of focus.

Symptoms of astigmatism

• Blurry vision
• Eyestrain or discomfort
• Headaches
• Squinting
• Difficulty with night vision

Causes

Astigmatism is caused by an irregularly shaped cornea or lens, but the specific cause of this irregularity is unknown. Genetics play a major part as the condition is usually present at birth, and astigmatism often occurs with nearsightedness or farsightedness. Other factors that may lead to or exacerbate astigmatism may include:

• Eye injury
• Eye disease
• Eye surgery

Types

There are two main types of astigmatism.

• Corneal astigmatism – your cornea is misshapen
• Lenticular astigmatism – your lens is misshapen

Diagnosing Astigmatism

The first step in the astigmatism treatment process is to determine the extent of your condition through a comprehensive eye examination. The optometrists at Spindel Eye Associates will conduct several tests that may include having you read letters from a chart at a specific distance, using a machine with multiple corrective glass lenses of different strengths (refraction test), or looking at your eye through a keratometer to measure the curvature of your cornea (keratometry).

Treatments and Solutions

Mild cases of astigmatism may not require treatment, but the expert team of eye doctors at Spindel Eye Associates offers a variety of treatments to help you see more clearly.

• Corrective lenses

The easiest way to treat astigmatism is to wear prescription eyeglasses or corrective contact lenses. Astigmatism glasses will correctly direct light into your eye so that it can bend evenly and produce clear images. You will need to visit your eye doctor regularly to make sure your astigmatism prescription is up to date, but this is the least invasive form of treatment.

• Refractive laser surgery

If you want to correct your astigmatism without wearing glasses or contact lenses, then refractive laser surgery may be right for you. This surgery changes the shape of your cornea and reduces your dependence on corrective lenses. LASIK eye surgery is currently the most common refractive surgery for correcting astigmatism.

Want to see things more clearly? Call 603-434-4193 to schedule an eye appointment!