Most of the focusing power in the eye occurs along the front surface of the eye, at the cornea (the clear 'window' in the front of the eyeball). The human eye is usually shaped in a sphere, like a ball, but with astigmatism, the cornea of the eye is curved instead into an oval shape, more like a football. When the eye has these inconsistent curves, light will not travel in and out of the eye normally. The uneven shape of the cornea causes the light entering the eye to scatter in different directions. This can make objects appear blurry and distorted.
In addition to skewed vision, some of the signs or symptoms of astigmatism are:
• Headaches • Eye strain
• Squinting • Difficulty driving at night
Glasses or contact lenses can be prescribed to treat astigmatism, but they generally do not correct the condition. Astigmatism can occur alone as the sole optical error, or may occur together with either myopia or hyperopia. Often, two different lenses will help the eyes focus together, thus offsetting the uneven focusing caused by astigmatism. Astigmatism, however, can be corrected with surgery. Lasik vision correction is the surgery lenses are available that can be used to eliminate astigmatism.
Astigmatism can affect a child's ability to see well in school and during sports but children may be even more unaware of the condition than adults. As they are unlikely to complain about blurred or distorted vision, it's important that eye exams be scheduled at regular intervals to detect any astigmatism early on.