Astigmatism: causes, symptoms, treatment

The optical system of the eye depends entirely on the properties of the cornea, the lens and the size of the eyeball.If there are any deviations in these structures, a person's visual quality is impaired, and he begins to see worse. Myopia and farsightedness are concepts known to all, but what astigmatism is for many is very vague and vague. Although this visual defect is much less common, it is one of the most complex and weakly treatable.

Definition of disease

With astigmatism, visual impairment occurs due to an irregular shape of the cornea in most cases and is much less frequent - due to changes in the lens or the shape of the eyeball.When the surface of the light-refracting medium is not perfectly spherical, the refraction of light in different sections occurs with different strengths, resulting in a blurry image on the retina. Ophthalmologists distinguish two meridians, where the difference of refraction is the greatest. This is the weakest and strongest meridian, and they are always perpendicular to each other.

All children from the moment of birth have a certain degree of astigmatism, but by about 3 years this defect reduces its value and becomes less than 1 D.Such an indicator (not more, D) has up to 80% of the inhabitants of the planet, and it is considered within the norm - the so-called physiological astigmatism, since it does not affect the everyday life at all.

However, in some children, the rates of abnormalities remain elevated, and here the parents should be vigilant and not lose the time to start correction and prevent development complications. Elderly age is another major risk group, where disorders can occur for other reasons and be mistaken for normal eye fatigue.

Causes

In most cases, astigmatism has a hereditary nature: in the presence of a visual defect in parents, the probability of developing it in a child is about 50%.This type of disease, as a rule, does not progress and does not cause significant visual impairment. With its presence, high degrees of disorders or complicated forms of diseases rarely develop. In everyday life and even when playing sports such astigmatism does not cause problems, however, when driving a car, working at a computer, watching TV, glasses are required.

Acquired astigmatism can appear as a result of:

• Traumatic injuries;
• After operations on eyes;
• Ophthalmic diseases (keratoconus, etc. );
• System pathologies (diabetes mellitus, hypertension, deformation of the dentoalveolar system).

Often astigmatism is combined with such visual defects as hyperopia and myopia. Depending on this, several forms of the disease are distinguished:

• Simple hypermetropic- Deviations from farsightedness are observed only in one meridian;
• Complicated hypermetropic- deviations are present in both meridians;
• Simple myopic- deviations in short-sightedness are observed in one meridian;
• Complex myopic- deviations are present in both meridians;
• Mixed- in one eye in different meridians there are deviations and farsightedness, and myopia.

Depending on various characteristics, distinguish between weak (up to 3 D), medium (3-6 D), strong (above 6 D) astigmatism, and also straight (the refractive force is greater in the vertical meridian) and the reverse (the horizontal meridian refracts stronger).

Symptoms

Since most often astigmatism is manifested in children with increasing visual load, it falls to the age of 5-10 years, when the child begins to look intensively at pictures, learn letters and numbers and, of course, is attached to the computer and mobile phone.Here, parents can judge the progression of a visual defect in the unusual behavior of their child:

• Rapid fatigue, unwillingness to study;
• Moods and bad mood, the cause of which is not laziness, but headaches;
• Blinking and tilting the head when trying to get the right image.

It is very important to show increased attention to visual loads in the child during this period, in order to prevent the strengthening of existing visual defects or the development of new ones.

The adult person can suspect of a malfunction in the visual system according to the characteristic symptoms:

• Blurring of the contours of perceived objects;
• Strengthening of already available farsightedness or nearsightedness;
• "Sand in the eyes
• Burning and redness in the eyes with increased visual load;
• There may be pain in the eyes, and even bifurcation of images.

To counteract the progress of the visual defect is possible only with the help of traditional medicine methods, therefore Of great importance is timely diagnosis, as well as various methods of correction and surgical interference.

Possible complications

If you ignore the symptoms, astigmatism necessarily progresses, causing serious complications:

• Decreased visual acuity. It is the most important complication in the development of pathology and can lead to an increase in both farsightedness and myopia. At small degrees of these defects they do not cause a person inconveniences in daily routine, however, intensified by astigmatism, they can start to progress quickly, requiring constant wearing of glasses;
• Amblyopia (lazy eye).It often develops in childhood, when the optical system of the eye is very plastic. When a distorted or blurry image enters the brain, the visual center may begin not to perceive a picture coming from one eye to improve clarity. Thus, one eye remains "without work as a result of which, over time, its visual possibilities are reduced;
• Strabismus.Also, in most cases, children are threatened, when the kids in an attempt to get a clear picture can reduce their eyes to one point. And with an unmodified visual system, this situation can go from temporary to permanent - so there is a friendly strabismus.

Astigmatism is equally dangerous at any age and requires immediate response measures. Of course, the help of doctors - after all, by national methods such a defect can not be corrected.

Treatment

To detect the astigmatism of traditional survey methods is not enough - the diagnosis should be complete, especially for children and adolescents:

• Visometry- determination of the degree of abnormalities in visual acuity;
• Shadow test (skiascopy)- The method is used to examine small children and gives an idea of ​​the degree of refraction of light;
• Biomicroscopy- allows to reveal degenerative or inflammatory changes in the cornea;
• Refractometry- determination of refraction by special devices;
• Ophthalmoscopy- used to detect pathologies in the vitreous body or eye fundus;
• Ultrasound- The method is used to examine an anteroposterior segment;
• Computer keratotopography- performed to detect the astigmatism of the cornea.

  Carrying out the visometry

Medication Therapy

Astigmatism treatment begins if:

• Deviations greater than 1D are diagnosed;
• There is rapid visual fatigue (asthenopia);
• Visual acuity decreases;
• Develops hypermetropia or myopia.

The use of medications with astigmatism is limited to the use of restorative funds, medicines such as "Artificial tear as well as the intake of vitamin complexes - locally and systematically.

The main tool for astigmatism is correction, which can be carried out in several ways:

• Glasses. For correcting astigmatism, glasses with specially selected cylindrical and spherical lenses are used, depending on the type and degree of disturbance. With a strong astigmatism, the constant wearing of glasses can cause eye strain and cause headaches and dizziness. In this case, the doctor can recommend surgery;
• Contact lenses. If glasses are preferably used for small children for safety reasons, older children and adolescents may well wear lenses. They are a more acceptable option for astigmatism, since they do not create the spatial distortions that inevitably arise when wearing glasses;
• Orthokeratology.The most promising option - dressing for the night hard oxygen-permeable lenses, which give the cornea the necessary shape. Such correction after removal of lenses in the morning remains for 24 hours;
• Hardware treatment. It is used to correct visual defects, mainly in childhood, when the optical system of the eye is plastic. The course of treatment is 10-15 sessions lasting 1 hour. Such courses can be several, according to the doctor's prescription. At each session the child passes several devices.

  Selection of glasses for astigmatism

The initial degree of astigmatism, as a rule, with a timely response can be suspended, and in childhood - completely corrected.

Surgically

Constantly progressive astigmatism, as well as its high degree, require, undoubtedly, only an operative intervention. Benefit of modern medicine has for this great opportunities:

• Thermokerukoagulation- method of cauterization of a certain area of ​​the cornea with a heated metal needle. After that, the curvature of the natural lens increases - so astigmatism with hypermetropia is treated;
• Laser coagulation- carried out on the same principle, only using a laser;
• Keratotomy- application of corneal notch incisions to reduce the refractive power of the eye;
• Application of an excimer laser- with its help reduce the thickness of the corneal layer in a certain place.

These methods are effective if corneal curvature correction is necessary. Modern technologies allow most operations to be carried out in a short time outpatient, with successful treatment reaching 90%.

For some types of lesions, the correction methods can be ineffective, in which case:

• Implantation of phakic lenses;
• Refractive lens replacement;
• Keratoplasty is an operation to replace the cornea with a donor or artificial implant.

Folk remedies

Home treatment can not be called effective when it comes to astigmatism. However, with regular use, the general condition of the eyes is improved by increasing metabolism and strengthening the eye muscles. Such methods include:

• Gymnastics for the eyes;
• Proper nutrition - with the use of foods rich in "eye" vitamins;
• Use of preparations from plant components: ovaries, motherwort, grape seed, blueberry, carrot, parsley.

Prevention

If the child has a hereditary visual defect, then, of course, it is impossible to prevent such a phenomenon. However, the acquired forms of astigmatism, especially in childhood, can and should be corrected. And here, preventive measures are mandatory:

• Observance of hygiene of sight;
• Correct lighting;
• Breaks with prolonged use of the computer;
• Gymnastics for the eyes;
• Preventive examinations at the ophthalmologist.

Progression of any vision defect depends on the right way of life. Therefore, try to be out in the fresh air and make sure that the child does not sit out all his free time on the Internet. The eyes need rest, so the regime of the day should also be adjusted.

Video

conclusions

Pay attention to the overall health of the body and the eyes in particular - this will reduce the risk of developing astigmatism to a minimum. Do not forget about the annual check-ups with a doctor - this will help to avoid complications and prevent the progression of visual defects.