Astigmatism

Overview

Astigmatism is a very common eye condition that causes impaired vision. The condition is characterized by the irregular shape of the cornea which is oval or football-shaped instead of round. This irregular shape causes refractive errors in the eye and makes it hard for the sufferer to see clearly and often creates blurred images.

Symptoms of Astigmatism

Rays of light and other images become distorted when they are viewed through the eyes of someone with astigmatism. Therefore, the most common symptoms of this condition are blurry vision, eye pain, fatigue, and headaches. Additionally, straight outlines may seem wavy or even crooked, and lines going in one direction may seem clearer compared to lines going in another direction (for example horizontal lines compared to vertical lines.)

Causes of Astigmatism

An astigmatism is caused by a distortion of the cornea. Instead of being round, the cornea is oval and not correctly positioned.

Shortcomings of Conventional Astigmatism Remedies

The main conventional treatments readily available for astigmatism are corrective prescription lenses or even surgery. Both of these treatments are not without shortcomings, however, and can potentially result in serious complications.

Corrective Prescription Lenses—Corrective lenses in the form of glasses or contact lenses are the most commonly recommended conventional treatment for astigmatism, farsightedness, and nearsightedness. While they can definitely improve signs and symptoms caused by all three of these vision disorders, they can also make them worse as well. In most cases, glasses do make vision worse over time, by resulting in long-term dependency on lenses and decreased sensitivity from the eye muscle tissues. Other effects of corrective lenses include increased sensitivity to synthetic light, as well as loss of depth perception.

Contact lenses may cause additional difficulties, including a substantial increase in the chance of developing microbial keratitis, an infectious condition which results in inflammation of the cornea.

Surgery—In recent years, surgical procedures to correct astigmatism and nearsightedness have become popular. Both main types of surgeries for this purpose are laser eye surgery and Photorefractive Keratomy (PRK). Laser eye surgery is actually conducted utilizing an extremely slim blade, with which the surgeon cuts a flap close to the top of the cornea. A laser beam is then employed to cut away part of the cornea, after which the cornea flap is reattached. PRK also reshapes the cornea using a laser, without the need for first creating a cornea flap, but generally requires a lengthier waiting period before patients experience enhancements in their eyesight.

Though many patients report improved eyesight after undergoing Lasik as well as PRK surgeries, both procedures can cause the following side effects:

Free radical damage caused by the laser beam that can result in a loss of the cornea and damage to its architectural integrity.

Persistent dry irritation caused by a diminished capacity to create tears.

The sensation of seeing, “halo’s” when you are close to light.

Reduced visual abilities.

Tears in the retina, and possibly complete detachment.

Holes in the macula (the central region of the retina), which lead to macular degeneration.

Damage to the optic nerve.

Natural Remedies

Ayurveda: Based on Ayurvedic theory, most eyesight problems are caused by digestive disorders. Emphasis is given to regular eye exercises, as well as the use of the herbs amla, licorice, and triphala, and a diet plan rich in natural, whole food with plentiful quantities of antioxidant rich vegetables such as carrots and spinach.

Bates Method: The Bates Method was developed at the beginning of the 20th century by Dr. W. H. Bates(1865-1931), the prominent United states ophthalmologist, to improve sight which Dr. Bates believed became impaired through eye strain, pressure and the overuse of the eyes. The purpose of the Bates Method is to show people with eyesight problems such as astigmatism, farsightedness, and nearsightedness how to get the eyes and mind working together harmoniously to considerably improve eyesight.

The Bates Method is not a medical treatment, it is a method of education that involves active learning and the receptive awareness of how to appreciate what we should see, like the appreciation of a detailed piece of art, a beautiful garden, or a traditional cathedral. Dr. Bates believed that healthy eyesight is the result of a relaxed state of mind and body in which the individual feels an immediate contact with the surrounding world via his or her five senses. Bad eyesight, he believed, is the result of tension, feeling isolated from the outside world and routine psychological tensions such as worry, anxiousness, rigidity, day-dreaming, boredom, confusion, impatience, and so on.

The Bates Method is taught via a student-instructor relationship in which the student is shown how you can relax the actual eyes, then your body, after which the body as well as eyes collectively. As the relaxation progresses, the mind, eyes, and body begin to focus collectively and more harmoniously, allowing vision to improve naturally by itself, combined with the overall health of the eyes.

Biofeedback Training: Biofeedback training can be helpful with regard to improving a variety of vision problems, including astigmatism, near- and farsightedness, and evening blindness. Traditional biofeedback training helps patients become able to better relax the actual muscles of the forehead, thus reducing pressure of the eye itself and overall eyestrain.

A particular biofeedback device for enhancing poor vision is the Accommotrac Vision Trainer®, developed by optometric physician Joseph, Trachtman, O.D., Ph.D., of New York City. This device works by measuring how clearly and effectively the retina perceives images. As sufferers change their focus, the actual Accommotrac transforms the visible images they are viewing into sound. This particular device enables them to become better able to detect and control their alterations in focus, thus also improving their control over the eye muscles themselves. Remedy sessions are typically scheduled once a week for an hour each time. The Accommotrac can provide substantial improvements within refractory eyesight problems, including astigmatism, near- and farsightedness, as well as night blindness.

Diet: Focus on a diet of natural, whole foods, with a large daily intake of fresh fruits and vegetables. Select from a wide variety, concentrating on those that are rich in antioxidants. These include red, orange and purple peppers, tomatoes, yellow squash, carrots, celery, dark-green leafy vegetables such as chard, kale, collard, spinach, romaine lettuce, and parsley. Fruits high in antioxidants include berries, especially raw or juiced Acai berries, The exotic goji berries, purple and red grapes, plums, cherries, mangos, melons and citrus fruits are also recommended. For a fairly sweet treat to help suppress chocolate urges, enjoy the anti-oxidant rich unsweetened cacao. Combined with natural sweeteners such as raw honey or even agave syrup, cacao is a delicious alternative to the typical processed sugar or dark chocolate.

Natural egg yolks are also recommended because they are full of carotenoids, an important antioxidant. It is best to eat lightly cooked yolks, rather than hard cooked egg yolks to preserve heat sensitive valuable carotenoids. Gently boiled, poached, sunny side up, or even raw eggs are best. Uncooked eggs may be eaten if they come from a reliable organic source and are cleaned prior to cracking. Salmonella moves on the shell of the egg and makes its way into the egg cell from the outside, therefore wash eggs with warm soapy water to eliminate germs.

Avoid all processed and fried foods, sugar and sugar products, refined simple carbs, alcohol, as well as unhealthy hydrogenated and partly hydrogenated oils. Dairy products should be consumed moderately, and preferably raw as well as organic when you have a craving. Avoid overcooked/grilled meats. In addition, get tested for food allergies and sensitivities and eliminate those foods for which you test positive.

Drink plenty of pure, filtered water throughout the day, to help flush out gathered debris in the eye water flow channels. Correct hydration can also be essential for sustaining the suppleness of the eyes’ lenses. Fresh raw green juices are also an important addition to one`s daily diet. See the recipe section for green liquid suggestions.

The following eye exercises are useful for stopping and curing most kinds of vision problems:

Rest your vision for 5 minutes every 30 to 60 minutes, calming your gaze and staring into space.

Blink your eyes regularly. This reduces eyestrain.

Take normal breaks throughout the day to breathe deeply for a few minutes, in conjunction with neck as well as shoulder extending. This helps to ensure your eye muscles receive sufficient amounts of air.

To further reduce facial pressure, yawn in an exaggerated fashion. Doing so helps you to stretch as well as relax your facial muscles.

Cover your eyes with you palms for five minutes and breathe deeply. Do this every one to two hours.

Invest 20 to 30 minutes each day rapidly switching your vision from near to far. An easy way to do this is to hold your finger six to eight inches from your eyes. Focus on this for a moment, then focus on an object within the distance. Keep changing your concentration from close to far. This is an excellent method to exercise your eye muscles.

Roll your eyes all the way up and down inside a full round motion for five minutes, three to five times a day.

Pin a sheet of reading material on the wall and read it from two feet away (or even closer if you want to). Each day, move further away from the wall. With regular practice, you will eventually be able to read the same materials from across the room. If you are nearsighted, change this process, starting as far from the paper as you need to be, then gradually move closer each day till you are able to see clearly standing only a few inches away.

Herbs: The following herbs can help to prevent as well as slow the progression of astigmatism: Bilberry, curcumin, gentian root, grape seed extract, ginkgo biloba, and pine bark extract (pycnogenol).

Juice Treatment: Drink 16 ounces of carrot juice or a mixture of carrot juice with freshly juiced celery, cucumber, parsley, and spinach in two split doses (8 ounces for each serving) each day.

Lifestyle: Try to sit straight up in a relaxed manner, and avoid needlessly tilting your head for extended periods of time. In addition, avoid eyestrain through refraining from working at a computer fatal or reading for long periods of time, especially in bed. Also refrain from watching television or movies in the dark.

Nutritional Supplementation: Useful nutrition includes vitamin A, vitamin B complicated, vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, flavonoids, lutein, N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC), riboflavin, selenium, taurine, zeaxthanin, as well as zinc.

Chinese medicine (TCM): According to TCM theory, most vision problems are due to diminished liver functions. To restore healthy liver function, TCM practitioners mix acupuncture with dietary changes and conventional Chinese herbal treatments, such as ginkgo biloba and ginseng.

Alternative Professional Treatment

The following professional care treatments have all demonstrated an ability to be useful for preventing as well as treating Astigmatism: Acupressure, traditional Chinese Medicine, Behavioral as well as Syntronic Optometry, Bodywork (Alexander technique, Feldenkrais, Reflexology, Rolfing, Shiatsu, and Therapeutic Massage), Craniosacral Therapy, Chiropractic care, Detoxification Therapy, Environmental Treatments, Magnetic Treatment, Naturopathic Treatments, and Osteopathic Medicine. (See Glossary for descriptions of these Alternative Therapies.)