As you age, your eyesight naturally deteriorates. However, if your vision is slowly starting to blur, you may have an astigmatism. This condition is caused by an irregularly shaped lens or cornea in your eye. Although for some people it is present at birth, other people develop it over time. The following information will help you diagnose your problem and find a solution.

Signs Of Astigmatism

Astigmatism is a condition that may slowly develop over time, to a degree that you may not even realize it is occurring. Fortunately, it's possible to note a few symptoms of astigmatism and catch it early. Typically, astigmatism causes problems such as:

• Blurriness
• Distorted vision
• Difficulty reading without strain
• Headaches
• Signs and symptoms of astigmatism may include:

While only a qualified optometrist can diagnose you with true astigmatism, you can utilize this simple online test. Simply stare at the center of the circle of black lines, cover one eye, and note the color of the lines. If any are darker or lighter than the others, there's a good chance you have astigmatism.

Eye Exercises May Help

Many people try to correct their astigmatism by performing simple vision exercises. Typical eye exercises for astigmatism revolve around moving your eyes and strengthening your vision. For example, one exercise has you read text in a book that is close to you and then to rapidly switch your vision to another object. You repeatedly switch your focus until your eyes grow tired.

Do these exercises really help improve your astigmatism? Many people swear by them, but there have been instances of people being sued for falsely promoting the effectiveness of their unique exercises. While you're not likely hurting your vision with these exercises, it's important to keep your options open.

But Surgery Is More Likely

Eye surgery via laser eye surgery is commonly used to correct the shape of the eye. This is the quickest and most effective way to eliminate astigmatism. However, the price of these surgeries varies wildly, with some doctors promising prices as low as $299 and as high as $5,000, per eye. Insurance is likely to cover this type of surgery, as it may be medically necessary for keeping your vision from further deteriorating.

Before making any decision regarding your eyes, you should visit your optometrist as soon as possible. They can help diagnose your astigmatism and find a solution that works for your budget, such as corrective lenses.