What is astigmatism?

Astigmatism:

You can be blurry at distance and/or near and experience more glare/halos around lights

Astigmatism is a common component of an eyeglass prescription. It is found as the second and third numbers in a glasses prescription. For example if the prescription is -1.00-2.00x180 or +1.00-2.00x180 the -2.00x180 is the astigmatism quantity and axis in both cases.

Astigmatism occurs when the curvature of the cornea (the clear window in front of your iris) is more oval or football shaped as opposed to circular or baseball shaped. The different curvatures of the cornea cause light to focus in two spots instead of one. Astigmatism can be nearsighted or farsighted so the points of focus can be in front of the retina, on the retina, or behind the retina and there is a blurry zone in between the points of focus. Folks with astigmatism tend to notice a glare/halo/sunburst effect when looking at headlights and screens.

Common symptoms include eye strain, headaches, and experiencing increased halos around lights. 

Treatment options include glasses, contact lenses, or refractive surgery. 

Eye rubbing can induce more astigmatism so keep those hands away from your eyeballs!