BY KHIRTINI K KUMARAN

Optometrist and CEO of Eyecon Optometry Network , Datuk Murphy Chan , explained while astigmatism was one of the most common refractive errors , it was generally treatable .

According to him , astigmatism involves the eyes and the brain .

“ As such , I would categorise the symptoms into four categories ,” said Chan .

“ Firstly , there is the blurry vision and sometimes even distorted vision for both near and far objects .

“ Secondly , it would tire the eyes and cause eye strain and tightness due to the vision blurriness and distortion .

“ And thirdly , the brain would find the low quality and distorted images confusing , and it would likely lead to headaches .

“ Finally , as the light entering the eyes is not able to focus , it would cause scattering of light .”

Datuk Murphy Chan conducting a test .

Datuk Murphy Chan

Impact on lifestyle and productivity

Astigmatism , although not particularly serious , affects one ’ s daily lifestyle and productivity .

“ The blurred vision , headaches , eye strain , and the scattering of light would affect the quality of life and with approximately 60 per cent of vision quality , it would affect productivity as well .

“ Typically , the effort to drive at night or during low light conditions would be extremely difficult for someone with astigmatism . What a person will experience is , the light from a light source seems to be scattering .

“ Astigmatism can start from infancy . So , we usually advise that if you notice any peculiar habits or tilting of a young child ’ s head , as early as six months old , it is good to see an optometrist or ophthalmologist who specialises in children .

“ Before the age of nine , if the vision formed at the eye and to the brain is not well-developed , the child will not have a fully-developed vision in later years . This will affect their learning process ,” added Chan , who is also the organising committee president for the Asia Optometric Congress ( AOC ).

The AOC is actively involved in optical and eye health agendas in various countries , working within the government-to-government level .

“ This January , we helped get India

to pass their Optical Bill .”

AOC also conducts CSR programmes in many countries . For example , in 2019 , it reached out to about 20,000 children in Indonesia , providing them with free eye examination and glasses .

Diagnosis and treatment

According to Chan , apart from the visual performance and quality of lifestyle and productivity , when astigmatism is not managed well , it would affect a person ’ s confidence and appearance .

“ Astigmatism can be a genetic problem or caused by either injury or disease . And most people who suffer from the symptoms of astigmatism just accept it because they do not know it is a problem .”

He explained that the symptoms presented may not be astigmatism but instead be a more severe problem like glaucoma , which has almost similar symptoms .

“ So , if you feel you have astigmatism , my first advice is to see an optometrist . These professionals can discern whether it is genuinely an astigmatism condition or not .

“ When you see an optometrist , what they do is first identify the problem by asking you questions – your family history and symptoms . And then , they do a series of tests or investigations , whereby they check