Astigmatism
What is it? Astigmatism is a very common problem which comes about because the front surface of the eye (the cornea) is irregular or uneven in shape. This has the effect of distorting the light as it enters your eye causing the image to be slightly out of focus. This in turn causes the eye to have to focus harder in an attempt to clear up the image.
Where does it come from? Generally the majority of people are born with astigmatism as their corneas are irregular from the start. Typically the problem becomes more apparent as people become older as they can’t compensate for the problem as well.
How do I fix it? Astigmatism is probably best corrected with glasses although it can also be solved with contact lenses.
What will happen to my eyes in the future? This is very hard to predict, although generally astigmatism does not tend to get greatly worse over time. Most people find that they become more aware of the problem as they get older although it will have been with them most of their lives.
