Astigmatism: your new prescription

What your result means

In most eyes the cornea, the clear front surface, is curved evenly, like a soccer ball. With astigmatism it is shaped more like a rugby ball, or the lens inside the eye is curved unevenly. Light then focuses in two places on the retina instead of one, so vision can be blurry or distorted at any distance.

Astigmatism usually comes with short-sightedness or long-sightedness, and your prescription corrects them together. There are two types:

• Regular. The cornea is curved more in one direction than the other. This is the usual type.
• Irregular. The curve is uneven across the surface. This can happen with conditions such as keratoconus.

Common signs

• Blurry or distorted vision, near or far
• Trouble focusing
• Headaches and eye strain, often after long screen sessions
• Squinting
• Difficulty seeing at night, with glare or halos around lights
• Tiredness

Astigmatism can be inherited or present from birth. It can also follow an eye injury or eye surgery, change with age, or come from another eye condition. In children, uncorrected astigmatism can lead to a lazy eye, so we may recommend glasses even when a child says they see well. See children's vision.

Your options

• Glasses. Enough for most people with mild astigmatism. See our glasses page.
• Soft toric contact lenses. Soft lenses designed to correct astigmatism. See contact lenses.
• Rigid contact lenses. Often the better fit for more severe or irregular astigmatism, including keratoconus. See our RGP and scleral lens guide.
• Laser eye surgery. An option for some adults with severe astigmatism, carried out by an ophthalmologist.

Getting used to your new glasses

If your astigmatism is corrected for the first time, or your prescription has changed, your glasses may feel strange at first. This settles down as your brain gets used to the new correction. Mild eye strain, a headache or some blur is most likely in the first week. It can take up to 2 weeks to adjust.

1. Put your glasses on at the start of the day, and wear them consistently.
2. Start wearing them at home if they feel strange.
3. If you are finding it hard, wear them for an hour on the first day and add an hour each day.

If you still have trouble adjusting, come back and see us. New glasses carry a 3-month adaptation warranty: if you have trouble adjusting, we re-test your eyes and change the prescription or lens design at no extra cost.

When to come back

Have your eyes checked every 2 years, or sooner if your optometrist advises. If you have irregular astigmatism or keratoconus, your optometrist will tell you how often to come back. Eye tests are bulk billed for Medicare-eligible patients. See eye tests.

To book an eye test, book online or call us on (03) 9702 9118.