Astigmatism is a common and relatively easy to treat vision condition that causes your vision to be blurred and unfocused when looking at objects both up close and far away. Your cornea or lens is irregularly shaped, preventing light from focusing properly on your retina (the part of your eye that transmits visual imagery to your brain).
Astigmatism often occurs in individuals who have other vision conditions such as myopia (nearsightedness) and hyperopia (farsightedness). Together, these three vision conditions are often referred to as “refractive errors” because they affect how your eyes bend or “refract” the light they come into contact with.
While the specific causes of astigmatism are unknown, research suggests it’s most likely hereditary and something that’s present from birth. In fact, most people have some degree of astigmatism, but it’s when the condition causes objects to become unfocused or results in discomfort and headaches that it needs to be treated.
Astigmatism is easily detected and treated with eyeglasses and contact lenses. We offer a wide range of lenses and contacts that can correct astigmatism. In most cases, we can even offer Internal Freeform lenses that are custom made for you for a sharper and more focused vision than traditional lenses.