How to protect eyes with astigmatism

Written by Wang Fang
Ophthalmology
Updated on September 04, 2024
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Some patients have congenital astigmatism, while most of the patients have acquired astigmatism. The occurrence of astigmatism is mostly due to improper sitting posture. It is caused by looking at objects from an inclined angle rather than directly from the eyes' proper axis. Especially lying down while reading or using smartphones can easily lead to an increase in astigmatism. If astigmatism is not corrected, it can easily worsen eye fatigue, thereby inducing a further increase in the degree of vision problems. In daily life, it is important to correct poor sitting postures and avoid situations such as lying down while reading or using smartphones. Engage more in outdoor activities, and limit reading sessions to no more than half an hour at a time. Consuming more vitamins A, D, C, E, and lutein in the diet can also help in preventing astigmatism.

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Written by Tao Yuan
Ophthalmology
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Can high myopia with astigmatism be treated with surgery?

High myopia combined with astigmatism can also be treated surgically, but it requires the patient to be at least 18 years old, and both the myopia and astigmatism must have been stable for over a year without worsening. Before undergoing surgical treatment, a detailed eye examination is necessary. This includes an optometric examination to accurately measure the degree of myopia and astigmatism, a corneal topography test, and an ophthalmic ultrasound to understand the corneal curvature and thickness. Based on these parameters, a specific surgical plan is designed. If the patient’s corneal condition allows, laser surgery is the preferred method for correction. If the patient’s corneal condition is poor and not suitable for laser surgery, correction and treatment can be achieved through the implantation of a posterior chamber intraocular lens in phakic eyes.

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Written by Tao Yuan
Ophthalmology
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Can you wear contact lenses with 200 degrees of astigmatism?

Astigmatism of 200 degrees or less can be corrected by wearing regular contact lenses. However, when purchasing lenses, one needs to divide the astigmatism diopter by two and incorporate it into the prescription for myopia during the fitting process. If a patient's astigmatism exceeds 200 degrees, they typically are not suitable for regular contact lenses. Instead, they may opt for custom contact lenses with astigmatism correction or use rigid corneal contact lenses for correction. Patients with astigmatism should promptly visit an ophthalmology department at a hospital for an optometry examination to accurately determine their astigmatism and undergo vision correction tests. Following this, a doctor will issue a prescription for fitting contact lenses.

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Written by Li Zhuo
Ophthalmology
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Can children with astigmatism undergo laser surgery?

Firstly, laser surgery is generally performed after the age of 18, as people's eyes continue to grow. This means that just like when a person stops growing taller, the eyes also stop growing at a certain age. If laser surgery is performed too early, while the eyes are still growing, the results may regress over time. Therefore, astigmatism in children should only be addressed after they reach adulthood, usually after the age of 18, but we generally recommend waiting until after the age of 21. Additionally, if the progression of the eye prescription is less than 50 to 100 degrees per year, the surgery outcomes are more likely to be stable. Generally, laser surgery is primarily used for myopia, which pertains to issues with seeing distant scenes, whereas astigmatism, which generally affects horizontal vision, is usually not corrected through laser surgery.

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Written by Tao Yuan
Ophthalmology
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How can children with minor astigmatism recover?

Mild astigmatism in children refers to astigmatism below 150 degrees, which can impact vision. Currently, once the degree of astigmatism is established, there are no effective non-surgical treatments available to reduce it. Since children cannot immediately undergo surgery to correct astigmatism, the alternative is to wear frame glasses or rigid corneal contact lenses to correct their vision and enhance their eyesight. In subsequent life, it's important to develop good eye habits, avoid squinting when looking at things, not use the eyes at close range for extended periods, and try to prevent the degree of astigmatism from increasing. After reaching adulthood, astigmatism can be corrected through laser surgery.

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Written by Tao Yuan
Ophthalmology
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Crystalline astigmatism is caused by what?

Lenticular astigmatism is a common eye disease, usually caused by the early formation of cataracts, where the lens becomes unevenly opaque. This leads to inconsistent refractive power in different directions, causing astigmatism. Patients can visit the ophthalmology department of a hospital for an optometry examination and a slit lamp microscope examination to confirm whether the astigmatism is due to the lens. For lenticular astigmatism, if the cataract has little impact on vision, it can initially be corrected by wearing glasses to improve vision. If the cataract has already significantly affected vision, cataract surgery can be performed to correct and treat it. After the surgery, the lenticular astigmatism will naturally disappear, and the patient’s vision will be improved.