If you think you may have astigmatism and live in Derry, Londonderry, or near Windham, visit your eye specialist for an eye exam . There are several types of astigmatism which all have similar symptoms.

Symptoms of Astigmatism

People who have astigmatism in one or both of their eyes will typically experience vision that is blurred or distorted at any distance instead of only objects that are near or far. It’s common for astigmatism sufferers to find themselves squinting frequently. The eye strain caused by uncorrected astigmatism can lead to headaches after activities such as reading.

Causes of Astigmatism

Most cases of astigmatism are caused by an irregularly shaped cornea, which is the transparent part of the eye that covers the pupil and iris. A healthy cornea is round and symmetrical in shape while one with corneal astigmatism is oblong. In some cases, astigmatism is caused by an irregularly shaped lens inside of the eye, referred to as lenticular astigmatism.

Types of Astigmatism

Ophthalmologists describe astigmatism in terms of meridians, which can be thought of as two perpendicular lines, with one wrapping vertically around the eye and the other crossing it horizontally. Myopic astigmatism occurs when one or both meridians of the eye are affected by nearsightedness, and hyperopic astigmatism describes the condition where one or both meridians of the eye are farsighted. When both meridians are either farsighted or nearsighted, they will always be of differing degrees in the case of astigmatism. When a patient’s eye has one nearsighted and one farsighted meridian, it’s described as mixed astigmatism.

Regular and Irregular

When looking at an eye afflicted with astigmatism, the meridians that are the flattest and the steepest are referred to as the principal meridians. When the principal meridians are perpendicular to each other, it’s called regular astigmatism and gives the front surface of the eye a pointed shape. Irregular astigmatism describes an eye where the principal meridians aren’t perpendicular and can result from injury or keratoconus, a condition that causes a thinning of the cornea.

If your eye is swollen, sensitive to light, red, painful, or creating discharge, you may have an eye infection and should immediately see an eye doctor serving Derry, Londonderry, or Windham for an eye exam. Eye infections fall into four broad categories: bacterial, fungal, parasitic, and viral. Your eye doctor can tell you more after an exam.

Conjunctivitis, or pinkeye, is a common and highly contagious type of eye infection that often has viral or bacterial origins. Pinkeye is frequently spread among children in classrooms and day care centers, and people who work with kids are more likely to be infected.

Parasites are single-celled organisms that most often cause eye infections when a person wears their contacts in water. These infections can be stubborn to treat, so always use proper solution to store your contacts and remove your lenses when you plan to be in water.

Fungal eye infections are less common, but they can cause severe damage to the eye or even blindness. Contact wearers are at a higher risk for fungal eye infections so should always use fresh contact solution, take out their lenses before sleeping, contact lenses should be replaced according to the schedule that your doctor gave you, and avoid wearing their contacts in the shower, bath, or hot tub.

Dry eyes are not typically a serious condition, but they can be extremely uncomfortable. If you are suffering from dry eye symptoms near Manchester, it could be time to see your eye doctor. There are several ways to control this eye disease, and your doctor can help you pick the right one for you. If you have dry eye syndrome, here are some of the ways your eye doctor may help your treat your symptoms.

Artificial Tears
Artificial tears and other lubricating eye drops help to restore moisture levels in your eyes to make them less scratchy and irritated. Some of these drops are available over the counter, while others must be prescribed by your eye doctor. Typically, artificial tears and lubricating drops are best suited for treating mild dry eye symptoms. If you find yourself relying on over-the-counter artificial tears excessively, talk to your eye doctor. There may be prescription formulas that would provide you with more relief.

Restasis
Restasis is a prescription eye drop that can be used alone or in conjunction with over-the-counter artificial tears. In addition to providing moisture to your eye, Restasis helps to reduce inflammation and boost your body’s ability to produce natural tears. Although Restasis is effective for many people with dry eyes, it is not immediately effective. Most people need to make Restasis part of their eye care regimes for 90 days before getting the best results.

Steroid Eye Drops
Steroid eye drops can be used in conjunction with other treatments to control inflammation. Most people with dry eyes have some kind of eye inflammation, even if other symptoms are not present. Steroid eye drops can be used for a short period to reduce inflammation and boost the effectiveness of longer-term treatments like Restasis. Your eye doctor will closely manage your use of steroid drops to avoid complications associated with long-term use, including high eye pressure and cataracts.

IPL
IPL, or intense pulsed light therapy, treats the source of dry eyes to prevent symptom flare-ups. After an initial three to five minute treatment, patients can experience long-term symptom relief without medications with only one or two maintenance treatments per year.