Professional truck drivers rely heavily on their eyes to perform their daily work tasks. Even the slightest problem in vision can greatly inhibit a driver from performing his or her job effectively and safely.

This month I am going to discuss the topic of astigmatisms.

An astigmatism is a very common eye condition that affects a many people. Essentially, an astigmatism is defined as an imperfection in the curvature of your eye. It occurs when there is an irregular curve in the cornea or lens of the eye. Astigmatisms will cause vision disturbances at all distances. In most cases, astigmatisms are present at birth. However, often they are not significant enough to require treatment.

The symptoms associated with astigmatisms include blurred or distorted vision, headaches, eye strain and/or fatigue. There is also speculation that there is a correlation between astigmatisms and migraine headaches.

It is important to see an eye doctor if there are any changes in your vision. He or she will be able to identify the cause of your changes and if they determine that you have an astigmatism, they will also be able to recommend different treatment options.

It is recommended that most healthy adults older than 40 years of age have their eyes examine every two to four years until the age of 55. After the age of 55, it is recommended to have them checked every one to three years. If you have an increased risk of eye diseases such as glaucoma, you may be required to have your eyes examined more often.

The cornea and the lens are two main parts of the eye that are important in focusing the images that we see. If these two components are perfectly shaped, it forms a perfect image on the back of the eye. However, if there are any imperfections or irregularities on the surfaces it will cause a distortion in the image.

Astigmatisms may develop after an eye injury, disease or surgery. However, most are present at birth. Contrary to popular belief, astigmatisms are not caused by sitting too close to the television or reading in poor light.

If your eye doctor suspects that you have an astigmatism, her or she will perform specific tests designed to measure the way light passes through the eye as well as the curvature of your cornea.

The good news is that astigmatisms are easily treated. The goal of treatment is to address the uneven curvatures of the eye. The first form of treatment is to wear corrective lenses. Eyeglasses can be made with special lens that compensate for the irregular shape of the eye. Contact lenses can also be used to treat astigmatisms. There are many different types of contact lenses. Another treatment option is surgery to reshape the surface of the eye. This type of surgery is usually completed using specialized lasers. It is important to discuss with your eye doctor which is best for you.