Eye Conditions: Astigmatism

What causes astigmatism?

A normal cornea is round and smooth like a baseball. With astigmatism, the cornea curves more severely, like a football. Astigmatism is inherited, and can occur in combination with nearsightedness or farsightedness.

What are the symptoms of astigmatism?

For people with astigmatism, all objects—both near and far—are distorted. Images are blurred because some of the light rays are focused and others are not. This is similar to the distortion produced by a wavy pane of glass.

How can you correct astigmatism?

Astigmatism is corrected by bending the light rays onto a single plane. People who are astigmatic can have their vision corrected by several means, including:

• Glasses
• Contact lenses
• Surgery
  • Laser surgery
  • Astigmatic Keratotomy
• Vision Shaping Treatment