Astigmatism

The term astigmatism is used to describe a cornea that isn't round. The cornea is shaped like a football rather than a round, spherical basketball. Like a football, the astigmatic cornea has two curves: a steeper one, and a flatter one 90 degrees away. These two curves bend light entering the eye, causing two images to form on the retina.

Patients with astigmatism may notice blurred or ghost images close up or far away. Astigmatism may be present in various degrees and is found in approximately 30 to 40% of individuals who wear glasses or contact lenses.