Types of Astigmatism<\/b><\/h2>\n
There are two main ways to describe it: where it occurs, and how evenly the curve is distorted.<\/span><\/p>\n Irregular:<\/b> The curve varies unevenly across the eye\u2019s surface, often due to an eye injury, prior surgery, or a condition like keratoconus, and may need specialized contact lenses for full correction.<\/span><\/p>\n With the naked eye, you likely will not notice astigmatism in your own eyes or in someone else\u2019s. Like nearsightedness or farsightedness, it is not a visibly obvious condition, but you may notice:<\/span><\/p>\n If any of these sound familiar, schedule an eye exam so your optometrist can test for it directly.<\/span><\/p>\n This condition is so common that almost everyone has it to some degree, and astigmatism can increase or decrease with age. Genetics plays the largest role, and a family history raises your likelihood of developing it. Other causes and risk factors include:<\/span><\/p>\n A comprehensive eye exam is the only way to confirm a diagnosis. Your eye doctor may use several tests, including:<\/span><\/p>\n If you have an astigmatism correction, your prescription will include both CYL and AXIS values for one or both eyes. The CYL number is a plus or minus value showing the strength of the correction. The AXIS number, a whole number between 1 and 180, shows the angle at which the cylinder sits on your lens. If you see a CYL value without an AXIS number, contact your eye doctor, as this is likely a prescription error.<\/span><\/p>\n Astigmatism is highly correctable in most cases. The most common option is <\/span>prescription glasses<\/span><\/a> or toric lenses, which have different powers across different meridians of the lens to compensate for the eye\u2019s irregular curve. Toric contact lenses work the same way and must be fitted precisely to stay properly positioned. For some people, refractive surgery such as LASIK or PRK can reshape the cornea for a more permanent correction, and orthokeratology, which uses specialized contact lenses worn overnight to reshape the cornea temporarily, is another option some eye doctors offer for mild to moderate cases. Your eye care provider can help you choose the approach that best fits your prescription and lifestyle.<\/span><\/p>\n Zenni can correct up to +\/-6.00 CYL, and most of our lenses accommodate this correction, so you still have plenty of frame options. Single-vision lenses carry an extra-strength charge when a prescription indicates a strong correction, since they are more complex to produce. <\/span>Bifocal<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>progressive lenses<\/span><\/a> with high CYL numbers do not carry this extra charge.<\/span><\/p>\n Regular eye exams are essential to monitor your condition and keep your prescription current. A few daily habits can also help reduce eye strain: take frequent screen breaks, ensure proper lighting while reading, stay hydrated, and eat a nutrient-rich diet that supports eye health.<\/span><\/p>\n Understanding your astigmatism is the first step toward clearer, more comfortable vision. Whether you need glasses, contacts, or a conversation with your eye doctor about surgical options,<\/span> Zenni\u2019s newest eyeglasses frame styles<\/span><\/a> accommodate your prescription without sacrificing style. Browse <\/span>new eyeglasses<\/span><\/a> and find your next pair.<\/span><\/p>\n Dr. Mori has over 10 years of experience in eye care. She earned her undergraduate degree from UCLA and her optometry degree from the New England College of Optometry. She has worked in a variety of eye care settings and is passionate about helping her patients find a great pair of affordable glasses<\/em><\/p>\n It happens when the cornea or lens is irregularly shaped instead of evenly curved. Genetics is the leading cause, though eye injury, surgery, and conditions like keratoconus can also contribute.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/details><\/div>\n\n\n No. Nearsightedness and farsightedness relate to the eyeball\u2019s length, while this relates to the shape of the cornea or lens. It\u2019s possible to have both at the same time.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/details><\/div>\n\n It can change with age, so it\u2019s worth monitoring with regular eye exams. If it changes significantly or rapidly, especially with an irregular curve, an eye doctor should evaluate it to rule out conditions like keratoconus.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/details><\/div>\n\n Yes, typically toric contact lenses, which have different powers across the lens to correct the uneven curve, rather than standard spherical lenses.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/details><\/div>\n\n Refractive surgery such as LASIK or PRK can permanently reshape the cornea for many people, though eyeglasses and contact lenses remain the most common and lowest-risk corrections.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/details><\/div>\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":null,"protected":false},"author":80,"featured_media":16300,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[149],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10204","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-eye-health"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ca.zennioptical.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10204","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ca.zennioptical.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ca.zennioptical.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ca.zennioptical.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/80"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ca.zennioptical.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10204"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/ca.zennioptical.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10204\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":98213,"href":"https:\/\/ca.zennioptical.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10204\/revisions\/98213"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ca.zennioptical.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16300"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ca.zennioptical.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10204"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ca.zennioptical.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10204"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ca.zennioptical.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10204"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.zennioptical.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/astigmatism-700x382.jpg\")
<\/p>\nCommon Astigmatism Symptoms<\/b><\/h2>\n
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.zennioptical.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/content-image-2-700x382.jpg\")
Image source:\u00a0Kowa Optimed Eye Care<\/a><\/p>\nCauses and Risk Factors<\/b><\/h2>\n
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Diagnosis and Eye Examination\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.zennioptical.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/prescription-e1554245534937-700x382.jpg\")
<\/p>\nReading Your Prescription<\/b><\/h2>\n
Treatment and Correction Options<\/b><\/h2>\n
Ordering Glasses With Your Prescription<\/b><\/h2>\n
Maintaining Healthy Vision<\/b><\/h2>\n
About the Author: Dr. Mori Ahi, O.D.<\/a><\/h3>\n
FAQs<\/h2>\n\n\n
What causes astigmatism?<\/strong><\/span><\/summary>
Is astigmatism the same as nearsightedness or farsightedness?<\/strong><\/span><\/summary>
Can astigmatism get worse over time?<\/strong><\/span><\/summary>
Do I need special contact lenses for astigmatism?<\/strong><\/span><\/summary>
Can astigmatism be fixed permanently?<\/strong><\/span><\/summary>