Professional Documents
Culture Documents
ASMAGTISM
ASMAGTISM
Last reviewed: July 28, 2010. Astigmatism is a type of refractive error of the eye. Refractive errors cause blurred vision and are the most common reason why a person goes to see an eye professional. Other types of refractive errors are:
y y
Farsightedness Nearsightedness
Symptoms
Astigmatism makes it difficult to see fine details, either close up or from a distance.
Treatment
Mild astigmatism may not need to be corrected. Glasses or contact lenses will correct astigmatism. Laser surgery can help change the shape of the cornea surface to correct astigmatism, along with nearsightedness or farsightedness.
Expectations (prognosis)
The right glasses or contact lenses, or laser vision correction can usually correct vision to normal.
Complications
Uncorrected astigmatism in only one eye may cause amblyopia.
References
1. Olitsky SE, Hug D, Smith LP. Abnormalities of refraction and accommodation. In: Kliegman RM, Behrman RE, Jenson HB, Stanton BF, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 619. 2. White PF, Scott CA. Contact lenses. In: Yanoff M, Duker JS, eds. Ophthalmology. 3rd ed. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby Elsevier; 2008:chap 2.9. 3. Kramarevsky N, Hardten DR. Excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy. In: Yanoff M, Duker JS, eds. Ophthalmology. 3rd ed. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby Elsevier; 2008:chap 3.4.