Day: February 9, 2022

What you need to know about Astigmatism

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Things you should know

about Astigmatism

You’ve heard you have ‘Astigmatism’ but do you know what it means?
In this video, we touch on what Astigmatism is, how it can affect your vision, and why it’s so common.
We’ll be sharing some more interesting details about this eye defect soon, so be on the lookout.

We’re discussing the types of Astigmatism and how it affects your vision. Just a little refresher before we proceed. Astigmatism is an imperfection in the curvature of your eye’s cornea, which changes the way light passes through the eye to your retina. When you thought your headaches, blurry vision, squinting, trouble seeing at night or distorted vision was nothing, it could be caused by Astigmatism.

So, now that we’ve covered that, let’s get into the types!

Did you know there’s more than 1 type of Astigmatism? Feel free to let us know in the comments if you knew this.

The most common type though is regular Corneal Astigmatism where the corneal surface is not round but has a different curvature in one direction (meridian) vs. another.

We’re going to be a bit more technical by further sub-dividing this into 3 other categories, so stay with us:

Myopic astigmatism.
This is Astigmatism associated with the additional presence of Myopia which really means one or both principal meridians of the eye are near-sighted. People with this type of Astigmatism have trouble seeing objects far away but see closer objects quite clearly.

Hyperopic Astigmatism.
This is Astigmatism that is associated with the presence of Hypermetropia where one or both principal meridians are farsighted. Persons who have this type see far objects clearly but have visual problems (and/or symptoms) up close.

Mixed Astigmatism
Lastly, this is Astigmatism associated with both. One principal meridian is near-sighted, and the other is farsighted. Persons with this type might have visual disturbances at both distance and near as well as the possibility of associated symptoms.

So, you think you have Astigmatism? Then it’s time to get a routine eye exam!

Your Optometrist is trained to correctly detect the amount of Astigmatism and the presence of associated Hypermetropia (long-sightedness) or Myopia (short-sightedness). The quantity of these defects found will form your prescription.

Your final prescription will indicate the exact strength of the Optical Lenses that you require to correct your visual defect(s). You’ll be glad you got tested because you will be on the road to alleviating your vision problems and any/all associated symptoms.

Now on to ways your Astigmatism can be corrected!
The most common treatment for Astigmatism is eyeglasses or contact lenses. Refractive surgery is one of the less common treatment options and is really reserved for more complicated cases.
All in all, Astigmatism should be treated as soon as possible. Once diagnosed, regularly visit your eye doctor as recommended as astigmatism can fluctuate over time, making it necessary for your prescription to be modified.

Contact Us

60-62 Frederick Street, Port of Spain

1-868-620-EYES (3937)

ultimateeyewearltd@gmail.com

ultimateeyewearltd.com

Opening Hours

Monday – Friday : 8:00AM – 5:00PM

Saturdays: 9:00AM – 1:00PM

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What you need to know about Myopia

uel-logo---black-writing-600

Things you should know

about Myopia

Have you ever looked at something far away and thought, “That looks really blurry,” but for some reason, it looked clearer the closer you got? You could have Myopia! Let’s chat a bit about it.

Myopia comes from the Greek word ‘Muops’ which means short-sighted. If you have Myopia, closer objects look clearer, but objects further away, like street signs or license plates, appear blurry. The common practice for myopic persons is to squint, allowing the eyes to see better at a distance. All this time you thought your squinting was ‘nothing’, but now you know it could be Myopia.

You’re probably thinking, “Why does this happen?”
Well, in Myopia, light enters the eye, but it doesn’t fall on the Retina. That’s at the back of the eye if you were wondering. The light falls short of the retina. That’s why Myopic persons are short-sighted.

Types of Myopia

You’ve seen those cute babies wearing glasses, ever wondered why? 

Babies can have Myopia too. Babies can have a type of Myopia known as Congenital Myopia, which occurs from birth and is prevalent in babies with various birth defects.

Let’s learn about some more types! Simple Myopia is the most common type. It usually starts from the age of 5 years and progresses until the age of 20. So, when your child says “Mom, Dad, I can’t see properly,” it’s worth getting it checked out.

Pathological Myopia is the last type we’ll be discussing. It’s hereditary and progressive and it’s due to degenerative changes that take place in the eye. If you have this type, you’ll experience major near-sightedness, amid vision loss.

Causes of Myopia

The most common cause of Myopia is the increase in the curvature of the cornea. This may also occur in the crystalline lens of the eye. Feel free to follow along with our short explainer video to see exactly where the lens and the cornea are! 😉

Another cause of Myopia is the increased axial length of the eye. This simply means, there is an increase in the distance between the front and back of the eye.

The 3rd cause is an increase in the refractive index of the lens of the eye. This essentially means there is an increase in focusing power. Remember, persons with Myopia can focus on closer objects but further objects appear blurry. This is why!

Lastly, trauma to the eyes, in general, can cause Myopia!

How to detect Myopia

Would you be able to tell if you have Myopia? You actually CAN tell! 

There is an initial sign which is continually squinting to see objects further away. If you experience this, you know it’s time to get an eye exam to accurately diagnose the problem.

Let’s dive a bit into the process of detecting Myopia!

During the routine Eye Examination, a machine called an Auto-Refractor detects Myopia and will provide an estimate of your prescription. Your Optometrist will consider the results of the Auto-Refractor along with a process called Retinoscopy and other subjective tests.

All of this is important to determine if you have Myopia and the level of correction required. The strength of the optical lenses will compensate for your Myopia, which means you should have clear vision when you get your glasses.  Definitely worth it!

It’s important to note that your optometrist will recommend follow up visits to keep track of your Myopia and your overall ocular health. These can be between 1-2 years depending on your age and the severity of Myopia.

 

Treatment options for Myopia

The usual treatment option is eyeglasses. In this case, your eyeglasses will have special diverging lenses that bend light outwards before reaching your eyes.

With Myopia, light falls short of the Retina. Wearing the correct strength of eyeglasses ensures that light no longer falls short of the retina but is now focused exactly on your retina. Say goodbye to short-sightedness and ‘hello’ to clean, clear vision!

Contact lenses can also be used to treat Myopia.

Additionally, persons with severe Myopia may opt to have refractive surgery to decrease the curvature of the cornea and correct their Myopia once their prescription has shown to have stabilized.

Contact Us

60-62 Frederick Street, Port of Spain

1-868-620-EYES (3937)

ultimateeyewearltd@gmail.com

ultimateeyewearltd.com

Opening Hours

Monday – Friday : 8:00AM – 5:00PM

Saturdays: 9:00AM – 1:00PM

Social Media

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