Eye Health Exams & Procedures Can I Have Astigmatism in Both Eyes? By Troy Bedinghaus, OD linkedin Troy L. Bedinghaus, OD, board-certified optometric physician, owns Lakewood Family Eye Care in Florida. He is an active member of the American Optometric Association. Learn about our editorial process Troy Bedinghaus, OD Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Johnstone M. Kim, MD on February 14, 2021 Johnstone M. Kim, MD, is a board-certified ophthalmologist and a practicing physician at Midwest Retina in Dublin, Ohio. Learn about our Medical Review Board Johnstone M. Kim, MD on February 14, 2021 Print Astigmatism almost always occurs in both eyes. The condition can occur in only one eye but usually is the result of a physical injury. AMR Image / Getty Images What Is Astigmatism? Astigmatism is a fancy word that is used to describe a malfunction of the way vision works. Astigmatism is a disorder of the eyes that can cause light to focus on two points instead of just one. This condition can be the result of a misshapen cornea. Astigmatism causes people to have blurry, slanted or distorted vision. It is a vision disorder in which the eye focuses light on the retina at two points instead of just one. People with astigmatism sometimes complain of blurred, distorted or slanted vision. Astigmatism almost always occurs in both eyes and is usually quite symmetrical between the two. Astigmatism in large amounts is often inherited. Astigmatism can occur in one eye but this is most often due to a traumatic injury. What Causes Astigmatism? Astigmatism is sometimes caused by an irregularly shaped cornea, the clear dome-like structure on the front part of the eye. The cornea may have areas that are flatter or steeper than others, resulting in distorted vision. The crystalline lens inside the eye may also be tilted slightly, causing astigmatism. In addition, astigmatism can be caused by an irregular eyelid or heavy tissue pressing down on the eye. Astigmatism is very common and usually treated or corrected by wearing glasses or contact lenses. Refractive surgery such as LASIK or astigmatic keratectomy can also be helpful in treating astigmatism. What You Need to Know Astigmatism, if left untreated, can cause distressing vision problems. If you have astigmatism, you may have symptoms to alert you or your doctor. Some symptoms of astigmatism may occur alone, but some of the symptoms might occur together at the same time. If you notice any of the following symptoms, make an appointment with your eye care specialist as soon as possible. (It is generally recommended to have a comprehensive eye exam once per year to ensure the best possible vision as well as prevent or uncover eye disease.) Blurry or Distorted Vision Eye Fatigue Eyestrain Headaches Inability to read small print Constant squinting of the eyes Diagnosing and Treating Astigmatism Your eye doctor may diagnose astigmatism by conducting a variety of tests. Some of the tests used to diagnose astigmatism include a simple vision test, light refraction test, cornea measurement, or electronically mapping the surface of the eye. Astigmatism is corrected by focusing light rays on a single plane. This can be accomplished by prescribing eyeglasses or contacts or be performing astigmatic keratotomy. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. National Eye Institute. Astigmatism. Updated June 26, 2019.