Astigmatism Testing
Astigmatism is a refractive error that causes blurred or distorted vision at all distances. Astigmatism is common among adults and children and can be corrected with eyeglasses, and contact lenses.
How do you know if you have astigmatism?
People with astigmatism may experience mild to severely distorted vision, depending on the degree of astigmatism. Typically, myopia (nearsightedness) makes far-away objects blurry and hyperopia (farsightedness) makes close-up objects blurry, astigmatism makes things blurry at every distance.
Astigmatism Test Procedure
Visual Acuity
Acuity testing measures the clarity of your vision. The optometrist at For Eyes will test you 6 metres away from a chart of letters of varying sizes. The result of visual acuity testing is expressed as a fraction. For instance, you can have a visual acuity of 6/6, this is the value for someone with normal vision.
However, people with astigmatism often complain of blurry vision, with lower visual acuity such as 6/12. This implies that you must stand 6 metres away from a letter that someone with normal vision can read while standing 12 metres away.
Keratometry
Our optometrist will shine a pattern onto your cornea and measure the reflection using a keratometer or topographer to determine the shape and curvature of the front part of your eye. The procedure helps the optometrist determine the best lenses to correct your refractive error.
Refraction
Our optometrists will place different lenses in front of your eyes using a phoropter.to determine which lens gives you the clearest vision. An instrument that measures the eyes’ focusing power automatically may also be used in this process. Refraction determines the degree of astigmatism and the lens power that best compensates for eye curvature abnormalities to give clear vision.
Astigmatism testing is performed routinely during a comprehensive eye exam at For Eyes. Our optometrists will perform a series of examinations, including visual acuity, refraction and keratometry or topography, to determine how your eyes focus light onto the retina. The type of treatment you receive for astigmatism depends on its severity.
After astigmatism testing
If you receive a diagnosis of astigmatism, our optometrists will explain the result and recommend treatment options.)
Eye testing is essential to diagnose astigmatism because it is objective, unlike a self-assessment. It limits the likelihood of error. Our optometrists will advise how often you need to have a comprehensive eye examination.
The only way to receive legitimate treatment is under the care of an optometrist.