Probably the most important thing to note about astigmatism is that it can worsen due to eye rubbing.
Rubbing your eyes is one habit that could cause astigmatism. In fact, frequent rubbing could eventually change the shape of your corneas. Rubbing also increases your risk of keratoconus, a condition that makes the corneas thin and cone-shaped.
Astigmatism frequently worsens with age. Your cornea can become more irregular due to pressure from your eyelids as they lose muscle tone. Astigmatism generally stays stable until your turn 50. After then, your lens curvature progressively worsens each decade.
Studies have shown that continuous eye rubbing in susceptible individuals can also lead to thinning of the cornea,1 which is weakened and pushes forward to become more conical. This is known as keratoconus, and is a serious condition that can lead to distorted vision and possibly the future need for a corneal graft.
Over time, chronic eye rubbing causes micro-scratches on the cornea, and those small scratches accumulate to cause serious damage. In the beginning, a scratched cornea may cause eye-watering, redness, and light sensitivity. If the damage becomes worse, the cornea can become infected or develop scar tissue.
Avoid rubbing your eyes for relief
If you feel the need to rub your eyes, place a cool, damp washcloth over closed your eyes until the sensation subsides. You can also apply artificial tears or lubricant eye drops until you can visit your eye doctor to evaluate the cause of the itching.
One natural way to treat astigmatism is to be aware of your head tilting. If you're tilting to one side, try tilting your head in the opposite direction of what feels most comfortable. It will feel uncomfortable at first. Your muscles are used to doing the wrong thing and need retraining.
Place your thumb just above the nose, move it clockwise and leave it there for 2-3 seconds. Move your thumb back to the original position. Now, move it to 1 o'clock position, then to 3,5, so on and back to 12. You can do this exercise 2-4 times per day.
Worsening astigmatism can be treated with corrective lenses and surgical procedures like LASIK or lense replacement. Talk to your doctor to find the best option for you.
The risk of astigmatism increased with both the total years of exposure and the average daily duration of screen exposure. Our findings suggested that preschoolers who were exposed to screens during early life might have an increased risk of astigmatism.
When we squint it creates the same effect as looking through a pinhole. Basically only a small amount of focused central light rays are allowed into the eye. This prevents the unfocused light rays in the periphery from reaching the retina. The result is better vision.
Overuse of Electronic Devices: The excessive use of smartphones, tablets, computers, and other electronic devices could lead to astigmatism, as well as dry eye. Improper Light Levels: Watching TV or using electronic screens in the dark can cause eye strain and eye fatigue and possibly be a cause for astigmatism.
Some people are born with astigmatism. Others don't develop it until they're adults. It can get better or worse over time.
No. About 30% of all people have astigmatism. In the vast majority of those, the condition does not change much after the age of 25. The presence of astigmatism as a child or young adult does not signify that an eye disease will later occur.
“Astigmatism can be corrected with eyeglasses, contact lenses, and refractive surgery — like LASIK. It also can be corrected during cataract surgery,” Gary Heiting, OD, an optometrist and senior editor at All About Vision tells WebMD Connect to Care.
You'll likely need glasses if your astigmatism has a strength of 1.0 or more. But even if your astigmatism needs less than 1.0 diopters of correction, it doesn't mean you won't need glasses.
Astigmatism will not go away on its own. It will either stay the same or get worse with age. While this reality can seem daunting, the good news is that it can be easily corrected.
If left untreated, astigmatism may cause eyestrain, headaches, and blurry vision. If you have astigmatism you may not see objects in the distance or near without some form of distortion.
Astigmatism can distort lights in several ways, and instead of a clear image, you might see: Streaky lights. Haloed lights. Blurry lights.
Eye rubbing is another potential cause. The skin around our eyes is very thin and delicate. Rubbing the eyes can result in damage to the blood vessels under the skin's surface. This may cause the vessels to break and bleed.
Rubbing the eyes can increase eye pressure, disrupt blood flow, and result in nerve damage in those with glaucoma. Rubbing the eyes can result in thinning of the cornea (keratoconus) and cause distorted vision.
Rubbing stimulates the eyes' lacrimal glands, which creates lubrication and gives some relief. And there's more than just the feeling of an itch vanquished, pressure on the eyes actually stimulates the vagus nerve. That reflex slows down your heart rate and can take you from tired to downright snoozing.