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Astigmatism, along with short-sightedness and long-sightedness, is a common cause of blurry vision. It's usually corrected with glasses or contact lenses.
Astigmatism means your eye is shaped more like a rugby ball than a football, so light is focused at more than 1 place in the eye.
This can cause:
Astigmatism normally happens alongside short-sightedness or long-sightedness.
Astigmatism in 1 eye may cause lazy eye (where the vision does not develop properly). It's important this is spotted early so it can be treated.
Take your child for regular eye tests. Astigmatism, as well as short-sightedness or long-sightedness, may affect their reading or concentration.
Teenagers with astigmatism should also have regular eye tests to check for an eye condition called keratoconus. This causes the cornea to change shape.
If astigmatism is affecting your eyesight, there are ways to correct it.
| Treatment | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Glasses |
|
|
| Contact lenses |
|
|
| Laser eye or lens surgery |
|
|
