Correcting lenticular astigmatism by reinstating the correct neuromuscular message

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Neuroscience
• Optometry

Background:

• Oblique muscle spasms can lead to lenticular astigmatism by causing the visual cortex to misinterpret focus.
• This misinterpretation can result in excessive focusing effort, leading to muscle tension imbalances that induce corneal and lenticular astigmatism.
• Astigmatic eyes struggle to focus on distant objects while maintaining near focus capability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate a novel contact lens design for treating lenticular astigmatism.
• To explore the potential of orthoculogy (ortho C) principles in correcting astigmatism.
• To determine if a single lens design can address both corneal and lenticular astigmatism.

Main Methods:

• A specialized contact lens, designed using orthoculogy principles, was used.
• The contact lens was worn for approximately two minutes to address visual blur and distortion.
• The study focused on the simultaneous correction of refractive errors associated with astigmatism.

Main Results:

• The contact lens draw" action loosens oblique muscles, prompting the visual cortex to send corrected signals.
• This facilitates the ciliary muscle's relaxation, flattening the crystalline lens to improve distance focus.
• Correction is rapid, occurring within minutes, as the ciliary muscle's function remains intact.

Conclusions:

• The corrective effect stems from relaxing oblique muscles, not solely the ortho C lens design.
• The contact lens design is versatile, applicable to both corneal and lenticular astigmatism.
• The visual cortex intelligently adapts to correct either type of astigmatism once oblique muscles are relaxed.