Can Astigmatism Go Away? Condition, Symptoms, and Treatment

Astigmatism is one of those vision conditions that appears straightforward on the surface, but the minute it compromises your eyesight, it starts firing off a hundred questions in your mind: Can astigmatism disappear? Does it worsen with time? What is the story with astigmatism glasses? And hold on—what’s the difference between stigmatism vs astigmatism?

These are questions that go beyond a clinical concern. These questions are being asked by real people staring blankly at their computer screens, struggling with reading road signs at night, or doubting whether their child’s headaches during school could be because of some kind of undiagnosed vision problem.

Let us explore all that we can about astigmatism, how it works, how it develops, and what you can realistically expect when it comes to diagnosis and treatment.

Stigmatism vs astigmatism

Let’s first clarify a puzzlingly popular misconception: stigmatism vs astigmatism. You probably heard someone say they have “stigmatism”, leaving out the “a”, as though any frame of reference implies it.

In medical terminology, there is no such thing as “stigmatism” in terms of an eye condition; it is just astigmatism. Astigmatism is a condition that describes a defect in the shape of the cornea or lens of the eye: instead of being round (like a basketball), it is oblong (like a football), which results in the light refracting irregularly, leading to blurred or distorted vision.

“Stigmatism” is usually just the mispronounced or shortened version of the word astigmatism. So if you are worried about stigmatism or astigmatism, stop worrying: it is the same problem. One word is a correct word, the other word is just a commonly misused word.

What is astigmatism?

Astigmatism is another refractive error, similar to nearsightedness (myopia) and farsightedness (hyperopia). While nearsightedness and farsightedness affect the clarity of vision for viewing distance or near, binocular astigmatism can cause awkward blur at both distances, creating difficulties focusing whether it is near or far.

Common symptoms include:

• Blurry or fuzzy eyesight
• Eye strain or discomfort
• Headaches
• Trouble seeing at night
• Squinting to enhance clarity

Astigmatism will likely be diagnosed during a comprehensive eye exam, and will possibly have an astigmatism exam as part of that exam. The astigmatism exam reviews how the light enters and focuses in your eye and determines the amount of irregularity in your cornea.

Does Astigmatism Get Worse

The answer is Yes!! Astigmatism can, and will, possibly worsen over time.

However, that does not mean that it will. Asymmetry in the cornea can be influenced by many different factors, including genetics, age, eye health, and even lifestyle factors like screen time and sleeping habits.

Interestingly enough, as a child or teenager, you may experience an increase in your astigmatism because of ocular development and the changes in shape as the organ and system develop. The cornea can definitely shift in adult years due to injury, ocular surgery, or as a natural result of aging. If the sudden changes in your vision are noticeable, as in halos around light, squinting more than usual, or difficulty focusing, you should get your eyes checked.

That being said, for most individuals with astigmatism, the changes are generally quite stable and manageable for many years with the right vision correction.

Can Astigmatism Go Away Naturally or With Treatment

Most of the time, no, it doesn’t just go away. Astigmatism is generally a result of the physical shape of your eye, and that shape won’t naturally change back to a perfectly round shape by itself. Unlike some conditions that change or clear up, astigmatism will remain unless corrected with methods of correction.

There are a few exceptions. In some instances, babies or young kids can “grow out” of mild astigmatism as their eyes mature. Similarly, if astigmatism results from temporary swelling of the eye, injury, or infection, it should improve once the underlying cause has resolved.

But for most individuals, the condition is irreversible, although extremely treatable. This leads us to glasses, contact lenses, and surgery.

Test and Glasses for Astigmatism

If you have never had a thorough eye exam, or if your last eye exam was more than a year ago, you should have an astigmatism test – especially if you are suffering from chronic headaches, squinting, or eye strain. The test is easy, quick, will not hurt, and may make a substantial difference in your quality of life. Many people don’t even realize they have astigmatism until they have seen clearly for the first time, and then develop a prescription. The need for Astigmatism correction is not vanity; it is just comfort, security, and confidence, especially in driving or working many hours on a computer screen.

If you are just or recently received a glasses prescription and there is a “cylinder”, it is correcting for astigmatism. These glasses will use a curve and angle, or axes, that you have been prescribed. The purpose is to compensate for the difference in shape of the eye to focus light properly onto your retina. Unlike regular lenses, astigmatism glasses come with curves and angles personalized to the shape of your eye. It may take a little time to adapt—some people get dizzy, or have a fishbowl effect, but this fades for most people in a week or two.

Should glasses be insufficient, toric contact lenses are a possibility. These are specially designed to remain aligned with the eye, with the axis of correction needed. With the proper vision correction—be it glasses, contact lenses, or refractive surgery—you can live a normal existence. Numerous expert athletes, pilots, physicians, and even visual artists have astigmatism and lead excellent lives with the benefits of specialized correction.

Conclusion

So does astigmatism ever go away? Not really—though that’s no cause for concern. With proper diagnosis, treatment, and regular eye care, astigmatism is completely controlled. What’s important is not if the condition goes away, but how you adjust, treat, and live with it.

Rather than dreading worsening symptoms or being stuck in a haze of disinformation, do something. Visit an eye doctor. Get a test for astigmatism. Try on the glasses. And know that millions are on the same path—living, confidently, and completely—with astigmatism.