Astigmatism

While some people can be born with astigmatism, many develop it in their childhood years or later in life. Astigmatism can also occur as a result of eye disease, injury, or eye surgery.

There are many types of astigmatism, but the most common type is known as regular corneal astigmatism. This means the cornea is curved more in one direction, like an egg or American football.

Irregular corneal astigmatism can happen when the cornea is curved in multiple directions, and/or the corneal surface of the eye is uneven, more commonly as a result of injury, damage or scarring.

Astigmatism can also be categorized as lenticular astigmatism, which is when the crystalline lens inside the eye causes the astigmatism, rather than the cornea. It’s not unusual for astigmatism to be a combination of corneal and lenticular astigmatism.

Yes, astigmatism can increase with time, even if vision correction, such as glasses and/or contact lenses, is worn.

Over time, astigmatism can gradually worsen because of changes in the shape of the cornea or crystalline lens of your eye. Some corneal conditions, such as keratoconus, can cause astigmatism to change more rapidly.

Sometimes astigmatism can be caused by pressure on the eyeball from eyelid problems, like large eyelid cysts and infected glands. But this astigmatism will usually reduce once any eyelid problems improve with treatment.