Can You Correct Astigmatism?

To say that astigmatism is common would be an understatement, as it affects about one-third of Americans. Thanks to this high prevalence, much headway has been made in treating the problem. From corrective lenses to surgery, the good news is that we can help you see more clearly despite your astigmatism.

Our team at Vision and Ortho-K Center, which is led by Dr. Curtis Frank, has extensive experience with astigmatism and we’d like to review your treatment options.

Astigmatism 101

Before we get into your treatment options, let’s take a quick look at astigmatism. First, there are two types of astigmatism: corneal and lenticular. The first occurs when your cornea (the outermost layer of your eye) is misshapen, which affects how light is focused onto your retina. 

With lenticular astigmatism, the shape of your lens is abnormal, which leads to the same effect as the corneal version.

No matter where the astigmatism occurs, it can cause issues with your vision, such as:

• Blurry vision
• Problems seeing at night
• Nearsightedness
• Farsightedness

There are many different degrees of astigmatism, which we measure in diopters, and this number will dictate your treatment options to a large degree.

Treating astigmatism

As we mentioned, treating astigmatism depends upon the severity of the problem, so your first step is to come see us for a comprehensive eye exam. During this exam, we measure your astigmatism and evaluate its effects on your ability to see. With this information, we can then recommend a treatment option that's best suited to your unique circumstances.

To give you an idea of your options, here are some of the more common:

Corrective lenses

If you have a mild-to-moderate astigmatism that interferes with your vision, we can turn to corrective lenses, such as contact lenses or glasses.

These simple measures are designed to help you see more clearly, but they may not be effective for moderate-to-severe astigmatism.

Specialized lenses

If your cornea can’t support traditional soft contact lenses, we offer rigid gas-permeable (RGP) lenses, which can better accommodate the irregular shape of your corneas.

We also offer toric lenses for astigmatism, which are specialized soft contacts designed specifically for astigmatism.

Lastly, if your astigmatism is mild, ortho-K lenses might be able to help, as they reshape your corneas each night.

Surgery

LASIK surgery is also an option for astigmatism. During this procedure, the doctor uses a special laser to reshape your cornea. While we don’t perform LASIK ourselves, we provide consultation services, as well as pre- and postoperative care.

To get back to the question we pose in the title about whether astigmatism can be treated, the answer is a resounding, “Yes!” To get on the road to clearer vision, contact our office in Boston, Massachusetts, to set up an appointment.