Curious - Astigmatism

Hi,

Just wondering if astigmatism is something that can actually be seen in the eye by an Eye Dr or whether it is based on description of what patient is seeing.  I have had slight astigmatism for around 9 years (ie. things blur upwards slightly).  However, when I close one eye over the other eye has the same amount of blurring that the other one does when I do the opposite (if that makes sense).  I would have thought that my vision would be different in each eye.

Hope you can help.

Thanks.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

Astigmatism is measured several ways: glasses tests, corneal topography, retinoscopy are the most modern.

The same amount of astigmatism may blur one eye more than the other based on the direction or axial length of the eye.

JCH III MD

[jojokiki]

I've had astigmatism since I was a child even wore hard contact lens that were weighted to prevent them from rotating and thus better vision.  I've been wearing glasses still thinking that I had astigmatism yet realized recently that there's no correction for astigmatism in my glasses.  I've got cataracts and MD said that corneal topography shows astigmatism -1.23 and that my own natural lens is probably correcting the corneal astigmatism- suggesting need for a toric iol.  Have you any experience with this?
Thank you!

[JodieJ]

The source of astigmatism can either be in the cornea or the lens.  Lenticular astigmatism is eliminated during cataract surgery (since the lens is replaced by an implant), leaving only corneal astigmatism.

You could always get a second opinion if you're not confident in your surgeon's assessment.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

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[jojokiki]

I'm not sure I understand- do I have both corneal and lenticular astigmatism since I don't need correction in my glasses yet corneal topography shows mild astigmatism (this is prior to cataract removal)?

[JodieJ]

Based on your surgeon's comments, you currently have both lenticular and corneal astigmatism, but the pattern is such that they negate each other.  After your natural lens is replaced by an implant, you will be left with some corneal astigmatism, which could be corrected by a toric IOL (or by limbal relaxing incisions).