Cylindrical eye (astigmatism): symptoms, causes and treatment

Definition

What is a cylinder eye (astigmatism)?

Cylindrical eye or astigmatism is a condition of blurred vision and can be experienced along with nearsightedness (myopia) or farsightedness (hypermetropy). Astigmatism occurs when the curvature of the cornea or lens is imperfect.

If a curved deformity occurs in the cornea, you have corneal astogmatism. Meanwhile, if what is affected is the shape of the lens, you experience lenticular astigmatism .

Both of them can cause vision in near or far distances to become blurry or blurred.

An adult with astigmatism may immediately notice that their vision is abnormal. Children with this condition may not be aware they have it.

How common is this condition?

Cylindrical eyes are a very common type of refractive error. Astigmatism is usually inherited and coexists with refractive errors such as nearsightedness or farsightedness.

Signs & symptoms

What are the signs and symptoms of a cylindrical eye (astigmatism)?

Cylindrical signs and symptoms may vary from person to person.

In mild astigmatism, the sufferer may not experience significant visual disturbances so that it is not disturbed. However, the most common symptoms of cylindrical eye are blurred or blurry vision and headaches.

The following are signs and symptoms of cylindrical eyes that need to be watched out for:

• Blurred eyesight, straight lines appear slanted or shaded
• It is difficult to see near or far
• Trouble seeing at night
• It is necessary to squint when looking
• Eyes are strained
• Headache

Children with cylinder eyes may not notice the above symptoms. In fact, this condition could have affected the learning process in schools. However, this condition in children can be detected through an eye examination.

When should I see a doctor?

You should have your eyes checked by a doctor if you often experience the following symptoms of cylindrical eyes:

• Blurred eyesight
• Eyes are strained
• Headache

There may be signs and symptoms not listed above. If you have any questions or have certain vision problems, please consult your ophthalmologist.

Cause

What causes cylindrical eyes (astigmatism)?

The human eye has two structures with a curved surface, namely the cornea, the clear surface located in front of the eye, and the lens, a clear structure on the inside of the eye that helps focus on seeing objects or objects.

These two curved surfaces function to refract light onto the retina so that the eye can see clearly.

Now, when one of your corneas or lenses has a deformity in its curvature, light cannot refract completely onto the retina. As a result, the eye cannot see objects with focus at any distance. This condition causes astigmatism.

According to the American Academy of Ophtalmology, this curvature of the cornea and lens can be caused by heredity, injury to the eye, or side effects of eye surgery.

In addition, certain eye diseases such as cataracts or disorders that cause continuous thinning of the cornea (keratoconus), can also result in astigmatism.

Unlike farsightedness or farsightedness, cylindrical eyes are not caused by reading, watching, or gazing gadget too close.

Risk factors

What increases my risk for cylindrical eyes (astigmatism)?

Astigmatism is a condition that can be experienced by anyone of all ages. There are several factors that can increase a person's risk of developing astigmatism.

The following are risk factors for cylindrical eyes:

• Family history of astigmatism
• Family history of other eye diseases, such as keratoconus
• Have sores or thinning of the cornea
• Suffering from severe nearsightedness or farsightedness
• Have had eye surgery, such as cataract surgery

Having one or more of the factors above, does not necessarily make you have astigmatism. In some cases, people with visual impairment do not have any risk factors at all.

Diagnosis

How do doctors diagnose this vision disorder?

The doctor will diagnose this disease through a complete examination of the eye. There are several eye refraction examinations that will be carried out by the doctor, namely:

1. Visual acuity test

In this test, the doctor will ask you to read the letters on a board to test your vision on a visual acuity test.

2. Light refraction test

This test, also known as a refraction check, is done using a machine called an optical refractor. This machine has various types of corrective lens glasses of varying strengths.

Your doctor will have you read by looking through different lenses. This test aims to get a lens that fits your cylinder eye.

3. Keratometric test

This test is done to measure the curvature of the cornea. The doctor uses a keratometer to see how far the curvature is in the cornea.

To detect cylindrical eyes in children, it is expected that the child does routine eye examinations, namely when:

• In the early days of birth
• Before entering school age
• During the school period, once every one or two years

Treatment

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor.

How to treat cylindrical eyes (astigmatism)?

There are 3 common treatments for cylindrical eyes, namely using glasses, contact lenses, or refractive surgery.

1. Glasses or contact lenses

Using corrective lenses that attach to glasses or contact lenses helps to adjust for any curvature of the cornea or any uneven lenses. That way, the eye can see objects with a clear focus.

The type of lens used to treat astigmatism is a cylindrical lens. The lens strength required to treat astigmatism will be determined based on the eyeglass prescription obtained from the eye exam.

For contact lenses, a type of soft lens such as a toric can be used to correct refractive errors for each type of astigmatism. These contact lenses can adapt their shape to the shape of the cornea with irregular curvature.

2. Refractive surgery

Refractive surgery can treat cylindrical eyes by correcting the surface shape of your eye. The surgical methods used to treat atstigmatism include:

• Laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK)
• Laser-assisted subepithelial keratomileusis (LASEK)

Home remedies

What are some lifestyle changes or home remedies for treating cylindrical eyes (astigmatism)?

Here are lifestyle and home remedies that can help treat cylindrical eyes:

• Rest your eyes for a few minutes by shifting your focus when you're on the move at the computer, reading, or doing detailed activities.
• You must have good lighting in the work area.
• Eat foods that are good for maintaining eye health, such as high in vitamin A.