Are You Facing These 6 Common Symptoms of Astigmatism?

What Is Astigmatism?

Sometimes your lens and cornea develop mismatched curves. Thus your near and far vision gets distorted. This refractive error of vision is known as Astigmatism. It is a common eye problem that happens in every 1 in 3 people. Astigmatism vision can be resolved with proper consultation and treatment.

Following are the 6 most common symptoms of astigmatism. Go through them carefully and check if any of these warning signs are present in your or your kid’s vision.

1. Blurred Vision

This one is noticed more often in people with astigmatism vision. Unlike a normal perfectly round eye, an eye with astigmatism is shaped like a football. Due to this shape, light rays emitting from the eyes can’t focus on a single point. Thus your vision gets blurry for both close and far distances. But if this blurry vision is mild, you might not notice it. The distortion of the vision will depend on the severity of the condition.

2. Double Vision

Astigmatism disturbs the alignment of the eyes. Thus a single object will appear double. This kind of vision is called double vision. However, double vision can also be a sign of other vision-related issues, such as strabismus and cataracts. If your astigmatism is severe, you can face monocular double vision. Monocular vision causes double vision in one eye only.

3. Eye Strain

This is also a common symptom of astigmatism. Your eyes get strained due to all the things they need to see through the blurry and double vision. They become light-sensitive and exhausted in some time. You might face these phenomena after reading or watching the screen for some time. Eye strain can trigger other eye health issues like:-

• Dryness in Eyes

• Photophobia

• Pain in the Eyes

• Pain in Forehead & Around the Eyes

• Twitching in Eyes

• Inability to Concentration

• Burning Sensation or Itching in Eyes

4. Weak Night Vision

Astigmatism vision troubles more at night. When it is dark outside, your pupils get dilated so that more light can enter your eyes. But a significant symptom of astigmatism, i.e., blurry vision, doesn’t let that happen. Instead, more peripheral rays get entered in your eyes. It creates a fuzzy and halo effect. Therefore people with astigmatism should avoid risky tasks like driving or playing sports at night time.

5. Headaches

During astigmatism, eye muscles need more energy to focus on anything. So you squint and strain your eyes to focus more. This constant straining can trigger the headache, especially around the eye area. Headache can be due to various health issues. But you need to get alarmed for your eyes when this headache is accompanied with other vision problems stated here.

6. Squinting

Astigmatism is a refractive error making it difficult for your eyes to focus. Your natural instinct to resolve this issue is to squint your eyes to see anything clearly. If you find yourself or your kid squinting excessively, it’s time to get your eye exam done. It’s a perfect symptom to catch any vision issue in kids. Unlike adults, kids might not notice or complain of the other symptoms of astigmatism vision. But you can see the problem if they are watching screen or reading with constantly squinting.

Parting Words

Do you suspect any of the above symptoms of astigmatism in yourself, your child, or any other family member? If yes, then you should go for an eye exam without thinking twice. It is not safe and convenient to perform daily tasks with astigmatism vision. And if not treated in time, astigmatism can lead to other vision-related issues such as amblyopia and keratoconus.

Author Bio:

Aaron Barriga is the online marketing manager for InSight Vision Center. With a knack for understanding medical procedures, and an interest in eye and vision health, Aaron loves to share what he knows and what he learns. He blogs to inform readers about the latest eye care technology and other topics related to eye care, especially LASIK. Aaron loves collecting coasters from the different bars and restaurants he visits during his travels.