Can Astigmatism Be Cured?

Is There a Cure for Astigmatism?

Astigmatism is a common eye disorder that affects the cornea, the clear tissue that covers the front of the eye. Essentially, people with astigmatism have an eye curvature outside of the normal range – this can potentially cause blurry vision.

In most people, astigmatism stops progressing at age 25, but there are issues that can cause astigmatism to worsen over time, such as chronic infections, corneal trauma, and keratoconus.

Treating Astigmatism

People with mild astigmatism may not even notice any changes in their vision, and thus, would not require any sort of treatment. However, people with more advanced astigmatism will likely suffer from blurry vision that requires correction.

Glasses and contact lenses can be used to correct astigmatism, similarly to how they correct near and farsightedness. For those with a highly irregular cornea, hard contact lenses may be necessary to correct the curvature of the cornea and allow for clearer vision.

Can Astigmatism Be Cured?

While astigmatism cannot be cured, glasses and contact lenses can be used to treat the blurry vision that results from having astigmatism.

For those wishing for a more permanent solution to blurry vision, refractive surgery is required. LASIK or PRK (photorefractive keratectomy) surgeries reshape the cornea using a laser. While correcting the vision, these surgeries also reduce the irregularities caused by astigmatism.

Refractive surgery is the closest option to a “cure” currently available in modern ophthalmology. However, not everyone is a good candidate for laser eye surgery, as there are various eye conditions that can preclude someone from being a candidate. Those interested in LASIK or PRK should discuss options with their ophthalmologist.

If you simply want eyeglasses to correct your blurry vision, then EyeQue has a solution for you. The VisionCheck is a smartphone-compatible device that measures your refractive error, which includes measuring your astigmatism. You can then use the results to order glasses online!