Astigmatism is a common refractive disorder that occurs when your cornea has an irregular shape, causing light that enters the eye to scatter instead of focusing at a single point. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, one out of every three people in the United States has astigmatism. Many people have such a slight degree of astigmatism that its effect is hardly noticeable; unfortunately, others strain their eyes on a daily basis and have never been able to see clearly.

Symptoms of astigmatism include:

• Eye fatigue
• Headaches
• Squinting
• Blurry vision at all distances
• Trouble driving at night

Astigmatism often occurs alongside other eye disorders, such as myopia (nearsightedness) and hyperopia (farsightedness). Glasses and contact lenses can be prescribed to correct astigmatism, but if eyewear significantly interferes with your daily life, you may want to consider laser vision correction. LASIK and PRK can provide a stable, clear vision for many astigmatism patients.

For patients who are not a candidate for LASIK or PRK, there is also an option to replace your natural lens using the Crystalens, Trulign, or a toric intraocular lens.

People who are not born with astigmatism can still develop it later in life due to an eye injury, or an eye disease called keratoconus.

If you have astigmatism or are noticing symptoms of astigmatism for the first time, please contact Brooks Eye Associates today or call (972) 736-9347 to schedule an eye exam with our experienced Dallas ophthalmologist Dr. Dain Brooks. We serve patients in Plano, Frisco, and throughout Dallas, Texas.