Yes, astigmatism is a common form of poor eyesight (a refractive error) where the eye's shape causes blurry or distorted vision at all distances because light focuses in multiple spots on the retina instead of one, often feeling like a rugby ball instead of a soccer ball. It can lead to eye strain, headaches, and poor night vision, and while often mild, it can be fully corrected with glasses, contacts, or surgery if significant, say All About Vision and the Mayo Clinic.
Astigmatism often occurs with nearsightedness and farsightedness, conditions also resulting from refractive errors. Astigmatism is not a disease nor does it mean that you have “bad eyes.” It simply means that you have a variation or disturbance in the shape of your cornea.
Instead of having one curve like a round ball, the surface is egg-shaped. This causes blurred vision at all distances. Astigmatism is often present at birth and may occur in combination with nearsightedness or farsightedness. Often it's not pronounced enough to require corrective action.
People who have astigmatism typically experience blurry vision as one of the primary symptoms. Should the blurriness persist or get worse, it may interfere with everyday activities like driving a car, running errands, preparing meals, or using a computer.
This condition can cause your vision to be blurry and lights to look streaky or fuzzy; you may also notice that lights appear to be surrounded by halos, making it hard to focus. This distorted night vision can make your eyes work harder to see, potentially resulting in headaches.
When you have astigmatism, you should avoid eye rubbing, prolonged digital screen time without breaks, neglecting corrective lenses, poor contact lens hygiene, and driving at night if it causes significant glare/blur, as these activities strain eyes, worsen symptoms like blur and headaches, and can damage the cornea. Focus on regular eye exams, proper lens care, and taking breaks to manage the condition effectively.
Corrective lenses
Those with astigmatism will need glasses full-time to maintain visual clarity at all distances, however, this will depend on how severe your condition is with there being mild cases or when astigmatism only occurs in one eye according to All About Vision.
It is a treatable and manageable condition that many people live with every day. However, when it leads to severe functional limitations—especially if it's uncorrectable or associated with other disorders—it can qualify as a disability under medical and legal definitions.
The best treatment option is the one most suited for you and your lifestyle. If astigmatism is left untreated, it can lead to serious ocular conditions like amblyopia (lazy eye) and vision loss. Consult your optometrist about which treatment may work best for you.
Most people who have astigmatism are born with it. Others develop it as their eyes grow and change throughout their lives. If you have astigmatism or another type of refractive error, there's a chance your children might as well.
If a child has astigmatism, objects close to them and far away may appear blurry or distorted. Other symptoms include: Squinting.
Astigmatism is caused by a cornea or lens that has a different shape than normal. Astigmatism is very common. Doctors don't know why the shape of the cornea or lens varies from person to person. But they do know the risk of getting astigmatism is inherited (passed down from parents).
Most times astigmatism is not a serious eye condition, but causes eye strain and fatigue – impacting school and office performances. However, astigmatism can sometimes hide a sight-threatening eye condition. Astigmatism, like myopia (nearsightedness) and hyperopia (farsightedness), is a common refractive error.
Astigmatism, even in high amounts, does not lead to blindness. Myopia in some cases can lead to blindness when the stretching of the eye, due to accelerated growth, causes permanent compromise to the retina (the inner lining of the eye).
It is one of the most frequent refractive errors, alongside nearsightedness and farsightedness. Astigmatism can develop at any age but is often diagnosed during childhood or adolescence.
Some Symptoms of Astigmatism
Eyestrain, squinting, dizziness, and headaches may signal the presence of astigmatism. Constant adjustments and attempts to focus can lead to eyestrain, ultimately causing fatigue. If you've noticed these symptoms, it's essential to explore the possibility of astigmatism.
Astigmatism is usually treated effectively with corrective lenses, such as eyeglasses or contact lenses. In many people, the condition can also be treated successfully with Laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK) eye surgery.
When you have astigmatism, you should avoid eye rubbing, prolonged digital screen time without breaks, neglecting corrective lenses, poor contact lens hygiene, and driving at night if it causes significant glare/blur, as these activities strain eyes, worsen symptoms like blur and headaches, and can damage the cornea. Focus on regular eye exams, proper lens care, and taking breaks to manage the condition effectively.
What Happens if You Don't Wear Glasses for Astigmatism? If you don't wear glasses to correct your astigmatism, symptoms such as blurry vision, headaches, and eye strain won't go away on their own.
Unlike myopia (nearsightedness) or hyperopia (farsightedness), which affect only one's ability to see things close up or far away, astigmatism causes both near and far vision to suffer, leading to all-around blurred or streaked vision.
Can blue light glasses help with astigmatism? Blue light glasses do not correct astigmatism or improve vision. They may reduce eye strain from screen use, but proper vision correction through prescription lenses or other treatments is necessary to address astigmatism.
Some essential eye vitamins that may help correct astigmatism include:
You may feel a little pressure during the LASIK surgery process, but absolutely no pain. As the laser reshapes your cornea, you will look directly at a target light. The information gathered in your preoperative exam will be programmed into the excimer laser.
Near and far focussing, Palming, Zooming in and out and Figure of Eight exercises are all popular exercises that can be used to help patients that have astigmatism.