Invision Care Optometry
Schedule Appointment

Condition

Astigmatism

Astigmatism is a common focusing problem caused by an unevenly curved eye. It can make vision blurry or stretched at any distance, and it is easy to correct with glasses or contact lenses.

Key points

Common signs
Blurry or stretched vision at any distance, eye strain, headaches, and glare at night.
Who’s at risk
Anyone. It often runs in families and is common in people who are nearsighted or farsighted.
How it’s found
A comprehensive eye exam, which may include measuring or mapping the curve of the front of your eye.
Treatment
Glasses or contact lenses for astigmatism. Some adults may choose laser vision correction.
An eye chart with rows of letters getting smaller, used to measure how sharply you see

Astigmatism is a very common focusing problem that makes vision blurry or stretched out at any distance. It is not an eye disease. It simply means the front of your eye, or the lens inside it, is shaped a little differently.

In an eye without astigmatism, the clear front surface (the cornea) is evenly curved, like a basketball. With astigmatism, it is curved more in one direction than the other, a bit like the back of a spoon or a football. Light entering the eye then focuses in more than one place instead of at a single point. The result is vision that can look blurry, doubled or smeared.

Most people have a small amount of astigmatism, and many never notice it. It often happens together with nearsightedness or farsightedness. Most people are born with it, and it usually changes only a little over the years.

When astigmatism changes

Sometimes astigmatism gets worse quickly, or the cornea becomes thinner and bulges out over time. This can be a sign of an eye condition called keratoconus. It can also happen after an eye injury or eye surgery. If your prescription keeps changing, your eye doctor will look for a cause.

Mild astigmatism may cause no symptoms. When it is stronger, you might notice:

  • Blurry or stretched-out vision, both up close and far away
  • Letters or lines that look doubled or smeared
  • Eye strain or tired eyes, especially after reading or screen work
  • Headaches
  • Squinting to see clearly
  • Trouble seeing at night, or glare and streaks around lights

Children may not know their vision is blurry. They might squint, tilt their head, avoid reading or hold books very close. Astigmatism that is strong or uneven between the eyes can keep a child’s vision from developing fully, so it is important to find it early.

Noticing these?

Book a visit for astigmatism

Related care topics

Astigmatism · Invision Care Optometry