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Disclaimer

This website is only for basic information. It is not to be considered medical advice or a substitute for obtaining your own medical consultation, during which you will be informed also about possible risks, side effects and restrictions of refractive & cataract surgery. Not all treatment options are approved or offered in every country and approved labeling and instructions may vary from one country to another. This site is also not intended for patients and healthcare providers residing in the United States of America and Japan.

What’s astigmatism?

Can astigmatism be corrected?

Astigmatism is a common condition that causes blurred vision. It often occurs with other vision problems, such as nearsightedness. While astigmatism can be corrected with glasses or contact lenses, laser eye surgery can provide another option.

How does astigmatism effect my vision?

Spotting the signs of astigmatism

Astigmatism causes refractive errors as either the cornea is shaped more oval like a rugby ball than round like a football or the lens has mismatched curves. As a result, light is focused on more than one place at the back of your eye, causing blurred vision.
If you have astigmatism, you have probably found yourself squinting to try to see distant objects, read menus or use your smartphone. What’s more, you may experience headaches or eye strain when concentrating for longer periods, such as when driving or working with computer screens.
Astigmatism can also affect depth perception, making it difficult to judge how far objects are. And you may also see halos or glare when looking at lights, particularly at night. This could make driving in the dark problematic, especially when trying to deal with the glare from oncoming headlights.
If any of these situations are familiar, you should mention this to your doctor during your eye examination.

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Facts and figures on astigmatism

Did you know that …
  • 40%

    of people who already wear glasses or contacts have astigmatism too.

  • Congenital

    astigmatism can be present from birth and often develops or worsens during childhood or early adulthood, with changes over time making regular eye exams essential.

  • 67.2%

    of people are affected by astigmatism by the age of 65, compared to just 14.3% at age 15 or younger, highlighting how the likelihood increases with age.

A softly focused point-of-view image of a book being read, with a coffee and notebook on the table. This scene represents the simple everyday moments—like reading comfortably—made easier by the restored vision.

Astigmatism with nearsightedness

What are my choices?

If you have an astigmatism with nearsightedness, you may be wondering what options there are to improve your sight. With over 10 million eyes treated around the globe with ZEISS SMILE and ZEISS SMILE pro, ZEISS SMILE can also correct nearsightedness to a certain degree at the same time as treating your astigmatism. Glasses and contact lenses which correct astigmatism are costly over time, so ZEISS SMILE may actually save you money, while at the same time reducing or eliminating your dependency on corrective eyewear.

By correcting multiple vision issues in a single procedure, vision correction with ZEISS SMILE may be an affordable solution.

Clinic Finder

Your eye doctor can help you find the best treatment option for your specific eye condition.
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What if ZEISS SMILE is not an option?

If, together with your eye doctor, you decide laser vision correction with ZEISS SMILE is not suitable for you, there are other options you may want to consider:
Woman smiling peacefully in a living room setting, reflecting visual independence and comfort post-surgery with ZEISS SMILE.

ZEISS SMILE pro

Lenticule extraction with ZEISS SMILE pro is an advanced laser vision treatment. With ZEISS SMILE pro vision disorders like nearsightedness or farsightedness1 with or without astigmatism can be treated, each in a single procedure2. Millions of people around the world have already benefited from high-precision ZEISS SMILE pro laser vision correction.

Bearded man smiling outdoors in a city environment, symbolizing confidence and visual freedom after LASIK treatment.

LASIK

Since its introduction in the 1990s, the LASIK procedure has improved the vision of millions of patients around the globe. Laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) is one of the most common solutions to correct refractive errors such asnearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism and to improve near vision for presbyopic patients.

Man smiling outdoors in a city environment, representing clarity and confidence following PRK laser vision treatment.

PRK

PRK can correct most refractive errors, including near- and farsightedness, as well as astigmatism. It is sometimes the preferred choice for patients with thinner corneas or those who want to avoid post-op complications caused by the flap created during LASIK.

  • 1

    Approved and available in selected markets.
  • 2

    In most cases a single procedure is sufficient. In rare cases a re-treatment is needed.