What is Astigmatism?

Astigmatism, like near-sightedness and far-sightedness, causes your vision to be blurry without correction. Astigmatism, however, is an imperfection in your vision that causes blurriness both at distance and near. It is mostly due to an imperfection in the shape of your cornea. 

The cornea, which is the front window of the eye, is ideally shaped like a basketball cut in half. With astigmatism, the cornea is shaped like a football or an egg cut in half – more oblong than round. 

There are optical and surgical methods to correct astigmatism. Most people correct it with glasses. Over the years, contact lenses have improved in their ability to correct astigmatism. Contacts that treat astigmatism are called toric lenses. 

For those who want independence from glasses or contacts, laser vision correction or LASIK does an excellent job of treating astigmatism.  For those who have cataracts, we can now treat astigmatism during cataract surgery either using the laser or a special lens implant. 

If you are concerned about astigmatism and its treatment, make an appointment today.

Act Now to Clear Up 'Dry Eye'

If your eyes are uncomfortable, scratchy or gritty, especially after reading, being on the computer or in the evening, you may have “Dry Eye.” 

These symptoms affect 10 percent to 20 percent of the population and are most common in women older than 50 due to hormonal changes. In addition to evaluating symptoms and signs of dry eyes, we can measure the concentration of salt in the tears and can monitor therapy with a new device called Tear Lab.

Initial treatment in mild cases consists of lubricating the eye with the appropriate artificial tears to prevent drying. If this is not successful, inflammation will build up and, over time, lead to a chronic disease called Keratitis Sicca or “Dry Eye.” 

After the earliest stage, the best way to treat the symptoms is to use a medicine called Restasis to reduce inflammation, reverse damage and prevent progression. This prescription eye drop, used properly twice a day for six months, will result in improvement for 90 percent of patients. Because Restasis is a treatment and not a cure, it must be continued long-term to maintain the benefit. If your eyes are dry and uncomfortable, this prescription medication can dramatically improve the quality of your life. To find out if you have "Dry Eye," schedule an appointment with Eye Clinic of Austin today.