diseases
Astigmatism: definition, causes and course of disease
Astigmatism (medically astigmatism) describes distorted perceptions. Our eyes are intelligent organs: the incoming light breaks on their corneas and depending on how bright it is, the pupils immediately enlarge or diminish. The subsequent lens focuses the rays on the retina so that we can see sharp images. The "entrance gate", the cornea, has a finely graduated curvature. So she manages to transmit light from all sides evenly.
In astigmatism there are irregularities in the gradation. Sometimes on the lens. Then rays are broken differently. The Sehmuskel with astigmatism strives for balance, by the lens sometimes more, sometimes less bulges. Mostly the mistake is innate. Severe cases of astigmatism can also be caused by accidents or ulcers and cataracts ( cataracts ).
The most striking features of astigmatism: Those affected perceive dots like dashes and often see their environment distorted. The constant efforts of the eye muscle to correct astigmatism can lead to headaches . In mild cases, astigmatism goes unnoticed.
Astigmatism: treatment
Glasses with specially ground cylindrical lenses compensate for the astigmatism. This should be done as early as possible, otherwise poor eyesight may be left behind. Even a laser correction can possibly eliminate astigmatism. More difficult is the treatment of the rare "irregular astigmatism". It help hard contact lenses or corneal transplant.
Astigmatism: prevention and self-help
Regular eye exercises (for example, taught at community colleges) can have a positive impact on visual acuity and could prevent astigmatism. In any case, astigmatism should be advised by the ophthalmologist - especially with regard to possible side effects of a laser treatment. To have healthy eyes for as long as possible, you should often eat green leafy vegetables. It contains a lot of lutein. This dye is stored in the macula and acts as a radical scavenger. Thus, the aging process in the eye can be significantly slowed down and astigmatism counteracted. Vitamins C, E and A are good protection for the eye. Especially in combination with omega-3 fatty acids, which also neutralize free radicals. In addition, one should protect his eyes from harmful UV rays to prevent astigmatism.
Just as too much sunbathing causes the skin to age prematurely, strong sunlight increases the aging process of the eyes, which can lead to astigmatism. It is also important that you go regularly to early detection examinations at the specialist. Everyone over the age of 40 should have their intraocular pressure measured once a year. In case of abnormalities, the expert will undertake further examinations, such as visual field measurement and retina tomography, to rule out astigmatism.
