X
theAsianparent Logo
theAsianparent Logo
Product GuideSign in
  • Awards
    • Parents' Choice Awards 2023
  • Pregnancy
    • Due date calculator
    • I'm pregnant
    • Trying To Conceive
    • Labour
    • After birth
    • Baby loss
  • Parenting
    • Parent's Guide
    • Relationship & Sex
  • Child
    • Newborn
    • Baby
    • Toddler
    • Pre-Schooler
    • Kid
    • Pre-Teen & Teen
  • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diseases-Injuries
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Meal Planner
    • Health
    • Allergies & Conditions
    • Vaccinations
  • Education
    • Pre-School
    • Primary School
    • Secondary School
    • Primary School Directory
  • Lifestyle
    • Money
    • Travel & Leisure
    • Fashion
    • Home
    • Fitness
    • Contests & promotions
  • News
    • International
    • Health
    • Celebrity
    • Singapore
  • TAP Recommends
  • Shopping
  • Press Releases
  • Project Sidekicks
  • Community
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Become A Contributor
  • VIP

Can My Child’s Astigmatism Go Away?

3 min read

Astigmatism is a refractive error, and is often caused by an abnormal curvature of the cornea. A refractive error means that the shape of the eye does not bend light correctly, leading to blurred vision. In order to see things clearly, light has to be refracted by the lens and the cornea correctly before it reaches the retina in order to see things clearly.

Children with astigmatism may have difficulty seeing finer details of objects both close and far away. They may also experience symptoms of fatigue, headaches and eye strain as a result of blurred vision.

Astigmatism In Children: What Causes Astigmatism?

astigmatism in children

Astigmatism in children may be caused by irregularly shaped lens, resulting in a blurred image.

Astigmatism occurs when the front surface of the eye (cornea) is curved irregularly – usually one half is flatter (or steeper) than the other.  When light rays enter the eye they do not focus correctly on the retina, resulting in a blurred image.

Astigmatism may also be caused by an irregularly shaped lens, which is located behind the cornea. Studies have found that astigmatism usually begins at birth, but it may also appear later in childhood or even later when we are adults. In some cases, astigmatism may occur after an eye surgery or injury.

Treatments for astigmatism

Although astigmatism may not go away on its own, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children with mild astigmatism may not need to undergo any treatment. An eye exam can determine the severity of your child’s astigmatism and whether is it necessary to undergo any treatment to correct it.

Corrective eyeglasses

astigmatism

Corrective eyeglasses can help improve your child’s astigmatism.

It has been shown that corrective eyeglasses tend to yield the most effective results in correcting astigmatism in children. The use of corrective lenses in eyeglasses can help to bend the incoming light rays to compensate for the error caused by faulty refraction so that images are properly received onto the retina.

In addition to the spherical lens power used to correct near sightedness or far sightedness, astigmatism requires an additional ‘cylinder’ lens power to correct the difference between the powers of the two principal meridians of the eye.

 

Contact lenses

astigmatism

Experts recommend that contact lenses only be used to correct astigmatism in children above the age of 12.

Corrective contact lenses can also be used to correct astigmatism, with the soft toric contact lenses being the most common option. Soft lenses are made of hydrogel, which allow oxygen to move through the lens and into the eye. The high water content in soft lenses evaporates easily, so soft lenses can only be won for a day and then discarded.

Experts recommend that contact lenses only be used to correct astigmatism in children above the age of 12, and to be careful about cleaning the lenses properly to avoid eye infection.

Refractive surgery

astigmatism

LASIK may be recommended by your eye doctor to correct your child’s astigmatism.

In some cases, refractive surgery such as LASIK can be recommended by your eye doctor to correct the surface of your child’s eye. After the surgery, you child’s astigmatism should be gone – along with any related form of near-sightedness or far-sightedness.

Partner Stories
4 Good Toilet Hygiene Habits for Kids to Have Early in Life
4 Good Toilet Hygiene Habits for Kids to Have Early in Life
Flu in Singapore: Is Your Family Protected?
Flu in Singapore: Is Your Family Protected?
6 Top Ways to Prevent Diaper Rash
6 Top Ways to Prevent Diaper Rash
Experiencing Mood Swings, Irregular Periods and Weight Gain Among Other Things? Here’s What You Need to Know About Hormonal Imbalance
Experiencing Mood Swings, Irregular Periods and Weight Gain Among Other Things? Here’s What You Need to Know About Hormonal Imbalance

It is best to discuss the condition of your child’s astigmatism with your eye doctor, and see if they advise refractive eye surgery in your case.

 

Got a parenting concern? Read articles or ask away and get instant answers on our app. Download theAsianparent Community on iOS or Android now!

img
Written by

Justina Goh

  • Home
  • /
  • Health
  • /
  • Can My Child’s Astigmatism Go Away?
Share:
  • Digital eye strain: How to avoid damaging your eyes

    Digital eye strain: How to avoid damaging your eyes

  • These 5 Popular Snacks May Cause Cancer in Kids

    These 5 Popular Snacks May Cause Cancer in Kids

  • Neighbour Complains Of Crying Baby, Mum Hits Back With A Witty Letter

    Neighbour Complains Of Crying Baby, Mum Hits Back With A Witty Letter

  • ‘I’m Still Waiting for Him to Call Me Mum’: Woman Who Left Job to Take Care of 9-Year-Old Son With Rare Angelman Syndrome

    ‘I’m Still Waiting for Him to Call Me Mum’: Woman Who Left Job to Take Care of 9-Year-Old Son With Rare Angelman Syndrome

  • Digital eye strain: How to avoid damaging your eyes

    Digital eye strain: How to avoid damaging your eyes

  • These 5 Popular Snacks May Cause Cancer in Kids

    These 5 Popular Snacks May Cause Cancer in Kids

  • Neighbour Complains Of Crying Baby, Mum Hits Back With A Witty Letter

    Neighbour Complains Of Crying Baby, Mum Hits Back With A Witty Letter

  • ‘I’m Still Waiting for Him to Call Me Mum’: Woman Who Left Job to Take Care of 9-Year-Old Son With Rare Angelman Syndrome

    ‘I’m Still Waiting for Him to Call Me Mum’: Woman Who Left Job to Take Care of 9-Year-Old Son With Rare Angelman Syndrome

Get advice on your pregnancy and growing baby. Sign up for our newsletter
  • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Education
    • Events
    • Allergies & Conditions
  • Family Occasions
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Child Safety
    • Health
    • Diseases-Injuries
  • Lifestyle
    • Home
    • Money
    • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diet & Weightloss
  • Normal Delivery
    • Cesarean Delivery
    • Behaviour
    • Secondary School
    • Formula Feeding
  • Ages & Stages
    • Latching & Concerns
    • Festivals & Holidays
    • Education
    • Pre-teen & Teen
  • More
    • TAP Community
    • Advertise With Us
    • Contact Us
    • Become a Contributor


  • Singapore flag Singapore
  • Thailand flag Thailand
  • Indonesia flag Indonesia
  • Philippines flag Philippines
  • Malaysia flag Malaysia
  • Sri-Lanka flag Sri Lanka
  • India flag India
  • Vietnam flag Vietnam
  • Australia flag Australia
  • Japan flag Japan
  • Nigeria flag Nigeria
  • Kenya flag Kenya
© Copyright theAsianparent 2023. All rights reserved
About Us|Team|Privacy Policy|Terms of Use |Sitemap HTML
  • Tools
  • Articles
  • Feed
  • Poll

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

theAsianparent heart icon
We’d like to send you notifications for the latest news and updates on baby care and health.