Does Astigmatism Get Worse?

Have you noticed your vision is getting blurrier? Are you starting to wonder if your astigmatism is getting worse?

Unfortunately, this is a possibility. Astigmatism can get worse or change with time. Why and how? Let’s get into the details. 

The goal is to help you understand your eye condition and see if there are things you can do to prevent worsening astigmatism.

What Is Astigmatism?

Astigmatism is a condition where your cornea is irregularly shaped. Instead of a round cornea, you have an elongated football-shaped cornea. 

When this happens, the light that enters your cornea is not reflected properly toward the back of your eye (retina). Instead, this light goes everywhere, to multiple points around, in front, and to the back of your eye. This light chaos then gives you blurry vision. 

If left untreated, astigmatism can give you headaches and eye strain. You might also have to deal with distorted vision. Sometimes, people with astigmatism find it harder to focus on distant objects. They may even see halos and glares around lights at night.

Factors That Worsen Your Astigmatism

Unfortunately, your astigmatism can get worse over time. These are some factors that may cause this to happen:

Age

The health of your eyes changes as you age, and this includes your astigmatism. With time, the shape of your corneas can alter, which necessitates updating your prescription. 

Eye Injuries

Trauma to the eye can alter the surface of the cornea. This can come from a punch or something similar. Or, it could come from an injury where an object penetrates your eye. 

Certain Eye Conditions

There are eye diseases that affect how your cornea is shaped. An example here is keratoconus. This is a progressive condition of the cornea that leads to the cornea thinning and bulging outward. Having something like this will reshape your corneas and can worsen your astigmatism.

Eye Surgery

Eye surgery should improve the condition of your eyes. Whether or not the surgery is specific to your astigmatism, it shouldn’t put your eyes in a worse state than where they started. However, there are rare cases where this scenario happens. 

With cataract surgery, for example, undiagnosed and untreated astigmatism can worsen. Likewise, with corrective surgeries like LASIK, surgical errors can happen, and this might make your astigmatism worse. 

Genetics

Genetics is a major determinant when it comes to developing astigmatism. So, when it comes to worsening astigmatism, your genes should be considered, too. You could be more susceptible to corneal changes over time.

What Doesn’t Cause Astigmatism to Get Worse

Of course, we also need to talk about misconceptions about the progression of astigmatism. Let’s go ahead and debunk the idea that certain activities can worsen astigmatism. This includes:

• Reading with bad lighting
• Sitting too close to the TV
• Squinting

These do not make you astigmatic. They only strain your eyes. 

So, if you’re prone to doing these things, don’t worry. You’re not going to get astigmatism or make your current eye condition worse.

Can Corrective Action Prevent Astigmatism from Getting Worse?

This is a good question to tackle because, once diagnosed, you will be investing in correcting your astigmatism. 

Shouldn’t corrective actions help keep astigmatism from getting worse? That’s the ideal scenario. However, the reality is that we have little control over astigmatism worsening over time. 

Corrective action, such as wearing contact lenses for astigmatism or getting refractive surgery like LASIK, can improve your vision clarity. They can also make your day-to-day life more comfortable and safe. They can’t, however, stop progressing astigmatism.

Top Contact Lens Options for Astigmatism

Contact lenses are a good option for those with astigmatism. While they can’t stop the progression of astigmatism, they can help make your day-to-day life easier. Here are some contact lenses to try.

Biofinity Toric

Biofinity Toric contacts are contact lenses for astigmatism by CooperVision. They’re monthly disposable lenses that are tinted to make them easier to handle. These contacts have received good reviews from EZContacts customers. 

Consuelo M. claims that they’re “Non drying, no more red eyes.” She adds:

Madison B. also says they’re comfortable, although she adds they get less comfortable as the month goes on:

“Comfortable lenses. These are great lenses. Towards the end of the month they are not as comfortable as the beginning when I first put them on. They are great for astigmatism.”

ACUVUE® OASYS Max 1-Day Multifocal for Astigmatism (30 pack)

ACUVUE® OASYS Max 1-Day Multifocal for Astigmatism is one of the newest additions to ACUVUE’S extensive line-up of contact lenses. These lenses are designed for people who have both astigmatism and presbyopia. 

The online community has been positive about these lenses. Reddit user Appa-7318 says: 

“Comfort of these contacts is tops for me. I can run in the morning with them and work all day and still have comfy eyes in the afternoon/evening.

Vision correction – wow, I love multifocal contacts. The trial prescription gave me excellent distance correction while still allowing me to read things like my watch, computer screens and phone at about arm’s length. I’m going in today and will ask my doctor to let me trial a set with increased correction for reading. I think I’m willing to give up a little distance sharpness for a bit more ease reading. Let’s see how it goes.”

DAILIES TOTAL1 for Astigmatism

DAILIES TOTAL1® for Astigmatism boasts about being the only contact lenses for astigmatism to feature water gradient technology. This means that you get almost 100% moisture near the surface of the lens. 

Many EZContacts verified buyers agree with this claim of superior comfort. 

Kathleen J. says: 

“Great Comfort and Vision. These contacts are the most comfortable I have ever worn. The vision is clear and stable especially for a daily lens for astigmatism. Highly recommended!”

However, there’s a downside. According to Joy B., these lenses are hard to take out. She says: 

“Comfortable but hard to remove. Comfortable until you try to take them off. These habitually get stuck on my eyes at the end of the day.”

What Can You Do About Your Astigmatism

While you can’t stop the tides of time… er, the progression of astigmatism, you can at least monitor and manage your eye condition. When changes happen, book an appointment with your doctor right away.

Here are a few practices to instill for diligent eye care:

• Get regular eye exams: This deserves the number one spot. You need to stay proactive and be on top of your eye care. Regular eye exams are necessary, especially as you age. Once you hit 40, it’s best to have an eye exam once a year.
  
• Ensure proper use of lenses: Hygiene needs to be a priority if you are using contact lenses to correct your astigmatism. Handle and use the lenses as prescribed, and make sure to always clean and store them properly afterward if you’re using weekly or monthly lenses. If this seems like too much, then eyeglasses or daily contact lenses might be better options for you.
  
• Be eye aware: You are your best monitor. If you observe or feel something different with your eyes, book an appointment to see your doctor.

---

TL;DR 

• It is an unfortunate reality of life that everything about our bodies, including our eyes and astigmatism, may worsen with time.
• Astigmatism is the condition where the corneas are abnormally shaped. Astigmatism can become worse over time.
• Factors that might affect your astigmatism include age, eye injuries, certain eye conditions, eye surgery, and your genetics.
• Activities like reading under bad light, watching TV too closely, and squinting do not worsen your astigmatism.
• Corrective actions, such as wearing contact lenses or getting surgery for your astigmatism, also do not have any bearing on the progression of your condition.
• Contact lenses can help improve your day-to-day life with astigmatism. Some top brands for astigmatism include Biofinity Toric, ACUVUE® OASYS Max 1-Day Multifocal for Astigmatism, and DAILIES TOTAL1 for Astigmatism.
• Always make sure to monitor your eyes, and be sure to call your eye doctor if you have any worries.