What is Astigmatism?
In astigmatism the front surface of the eye is distorted. This means that the eye is out of focus when resting. Astigmatism is a form of refractive error. The front surface of a normal eye is round, like the side of a football. In an eye with astigmatism the eye is more curved one way than the other, like the side of a rugby ball. This means that the light entering the eye is not all focused at the same point.
Normally this can be corrected by an optician using either glasses or contact lenses.
If you wish to be less dependent on glasses then laser eye surgery can correct modest degrees of astigmatism. Patients with cataracts can have their astigmatism corrected at the time of their cataract surgery using a toric lens.
Some patients may find alternative treatments such as refractive lens exchange or an intraocular contact lens to be the most appropriate treatment for them.
If you currently wear glasses or contact lenses and would like to be less dependent on them please feel free to make an appointment with our surgeon here at the Bournemouth Eye Clinic to discuss the options available to you.
