Astigmatism
Not Getting a Clear Picture
What is Astigmatism?
Astigmatism is a common vision condition that is due to an irregular shaped cornea which prevents light from focusing correctly onto the retina (American Optometric Association, 2015). The result is then blurred vision.
It is important to also note that the shape of the cornea is an irregular curvature of the cornea, in which eyesight is not necessarily "bad" but the cornea is disrupted (Bixler, n.d.). The front surface of the cornea is more curved than the other and light may then come from varying directions as seen below, rather than onto a fixed point.
Perception and the Gestalt Approach
Gestalt uses organizing principles to determine how elements in a scene are grouped together. Some of these principles include:
- Good continuation - All points when connected are perceived as following the same path.
- Pragnanz- Patterns seen as structures. The Olympic symbol is an example of pragnanz as it is not seen as nine shapes but as five circles (Goldstein, 2014).
- Proximity - Things near each other appear grouped together.
Scene Perception
Vision processing to brain processing
Sensory and visual receptors then act to respond to the visual information by changing light energy into electrical energy by user of visual pigment which is called transduction (Goldstein, 2014).
The information from the table is then processed in the brain through complex neural networks and go through another process called neutral processing. The cerebral cortex receives this information and differing lobes of the brain work to coordination the information received from each lobe.
For example, if one tripped into a table and hit their head, the perception of the table afterward might elicit information from the temporal lobe recalling the sound of hitting the table, or information from the parietal lobe in remembering how much hitting the table hurt.
In recognition of this accident, the person's behavioral response may now be to glance at the floor for impeding objects that may cause a trip and fall before going to sit at the table. This response of action is important because it has evolutionary importance as it serves as an importance means of survival to be able to evaluate an object and determine if and what, are obstacles or predators (Goldstein, 2014).
Treatment for Astigmatism
- Eyeglasses: Compensates for astigmatism and gives greater focus in differing areas of the lens.
- Contact Lenses: Cannot compensate for the cornea's shape but can provide clearer vision.
- Orthokeratology: Fitting contact lenses to reshape cornea to be worn for limited periods of time. Not a permanent solution.
- LASIK surgery: Removal of tissue from inner layer of cornea thereby correcting the abnormal shape.
- (American Optometric Association, 2015)
References
American Optometric Association. (2015). Astigmatism. Retrieved form http://www.aoa.org/patients-and-public/eye-and-vision-problems/glossary-of-eye-and-vision-conditions/astigmatism?sso=y
Astigmatism [Photograph]. (2014). Retrieved from http://floreseyeclinic.com/education/3023-astigmatism.html
Bixler, J. E. (n.d.). Astigmatism. Retrieved from http://www.kellogg.umich.edu/patientcare/conditions/astigmatism.html
Danti, A. [Photographer]. (n.d.). How images are captured by our eyes and processed by our brain [Photograph]. Retrieved from http://www.shutterstock.com/pic.mhtml?id=200634656&src=id
Goldstein, E. B. (2014). Sensation and perception (9th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
How to cure and treat astigmatism [Photograph]. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.eyesonyouseattle.com/blog/article/BOSVIEW/How-to-Cure-and-Treat-an-Astigmatism/