On social media, a user shared this phenomenon of light beams emanating from lightbulbs as a way to demonstrate whether you have astigmatism.
If you've ever noticed beams of light emanating from lightbulbs, you might be experiencing a condition not everyone shares: astigmatism.
This phenomenon, where light appears distorted or streaked, is a common symptom among individuals with this eye condition.
Astigmatism affects about one-third of the US population.
It occurs when the cornea (the clear front layer of the eye) or the lens inside the eye has an irregular shape. While most people have round eyeballs, those with astigmatism often have oval or egg-shaped eyes.
People with astigmatism may experience symptoms such as blurry vision, the need to squint to see clearly, and headaches.
These symptoms occur because the abnormal shape of the cornea or lens causes light to bend improperly as it enters the eye.
On Reddit flatform, a user goes by r/InterestingAsF**k sher.
The post has the caption: "This is what your vision looks like if you have astigmatism."
The post showed a photo depicting streaks of light emanating from lightbulbs in a restaurant that went viral on the subreddit r/InterestingAsF**k. This image provides a glimpse into what individuals with astigmatism may see regularly.
In the comment section, ,any person with astigmatism initially assumes that everyone sees light in this way.
One person said: Wearing contact lenses does this every day.
A second wrote: I have it; just means your eyeballs are rugby ball shaped instead of football.
While a third commented: Yeah, those beams are there and the worst is when people use crappy projectors when doing presentations and you see the R-G-B bleed all the time.
Someone else said: I have it, I get the tinted yellow clip on lenses they really help driving at night and only a couple of quid on ebay
Another added: Due to this, I've never seen what the moon actually looks like when it's so clear and bright outside because it's so blurry, all I see is a bright white light
Astigmatism can be present from birth or develop later in life due to factors like injuries, illnesses, or surgeries. The exact cause of varying corneal and lens shapes isn't fully understood, but genetics play a significant role.
To determine if you have astigmatism, visit an optometrist for an eye exam.
Tests may involve reading from an eye chart, using a phoropter to determine lens prescriptions, or employing an autorefractor and keratometer to assess eye curvature.
