Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow Astigmatism Affects VisionFocus on Your VisionFocus on Your CarFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
How Astigmatism Affects Vision
Focus on Your Vision
Focus on Your Car
Frequently Asked Questions
Astigmatismis a common vision problem that affects about 1 in 3 people.It occurs when the cornea or the lens of the eye has an irregularly shaped curvature. This prevents light from focusing evenly on the retina.
Astigmatism can cause blurry or distorted vision, headaches, and eyestrain. With astigmatism, you may see more glare around lights at night, which can cause difficulty driving. If you have been diagnosed with astigmatism, there are ways you can ease your symptoms and improve your night vision.
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The cornea and lens bend light and focus it on the retina, the light-sensitive surface at the back of your eye, which allows you to see. If you have astigmatism, the cornea or lens is irregularly shaped. Instead of a round surface, it may be shaped more like a football. This shape prevents light from focusing correctly on the retina, causing blurry and distorted vision. At night, your eyes dilate to let in more light, which causes problems with glare and halos around streetlights and headlights.
2:16Click Play to Learn All About Astigmatism
2:16
Click Play to Learn All About Astigmatism
Some cases of astigmatism are mild enough that they don’t need any treatment. Moderate or severe cases usually require some treatment to see clearly, which may include glasses, contacts, or corrective surgery.
Who Should Not Have Laser Eye Surgery?
If you are diagnosed with astigmatism, your eye doctor may suggest the following strategies to treat it:
Yellow-tinted glasses marketed for driving at night haven’t been found to be effective and could make your vision worse. A 2019 study found that yellow-lens night-driving glasses didn’t improve road visibility for participants or reduce headlight glare from other vehicles. The glasses are designed to reduce the light reaching the eye, which can actually make it harder to see at night.
When driving at night, make sure that your car’s windows, mirrors, and headlights are clear. This can improve your view and reduce the chance of glare from lights. Here are some tips for improving your night-driving view:
A Word From Verywell
No, but it may seem like it. Astigmatism occurs when the cornea is irregularly shaped, preventing light from focusing evenly on the retina. This can cause distorted vision and glare around lights. While astigmatism does not worsen at night, lights make it harder to see clearly after dark.
7 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Academy of Ophthalmology.Eye health statistics.American Optometric Association.Astigmatism.Berntsen D, Cox S, Bickle K et al.A randomized trial to evaluate the effect of toric versus spherical contact lenses on vision and eyestrain.Eye & Contact Lens: Science & Clinical Practice. 2019;45(1):28-33. doi:10.1097/icl.0000000000000528Hwang A, Tuccar-Burak M, Peli E.Comparison of pedestrian detection with and without yellow-lens glasses during simulated night driving with and without headlight glare.JAMA Ophthalmol. 2019;137(10):1147. doi:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2019.2893Rauch K.Night driving glasses may hurt, not help. American Academy of Opthalmology. Jan. 30, 2018.Massachusetts Eye and Ear.7 tips for seeing clearly while driving at night. Harvard Medical School Teaching Hospital. September 17, 2018.American Automobile Association.What to do about cloudy headlights.
7 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Academy of Ophthalmology.Eye health statistics.American Optometric Association.Astigmatism.Berntsen D, Cox S, Bickle K et al.A randomized trial to evaluate the effect of toric versus spherical contact lenses on vision and eyestrain.Eye & Contact Lens: Science & Clinical Practice. 2019;45(1):28-33. doi:10.1097/icl.0000000000000528Hwang A, Tuccar-Burak M, Peli E.Comparison of pedestrian detection with and without yellow-lens glasses during simulated night driving with and without headlight glare.JAMA Ophthalmol. 2019;137(10):1147. doi:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2019.2893Rauch K.Night driving glasses may hurt, not help. American Academy of Opthalmology. Jan. 30, 2018.Massachusetts Eye and Ear.7 tips for seeing clearly while driving at night. Harvard Medical School Teaching Hospital. September 17, 2018.American Automobile Association.What to do about cloudy headlights.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Academy of Ophthalmology.Eye health statistics.American Optometric Association.Astigmatism.Berntsen D, Cox S, Bickle K et al.A randomized trial to evaluate the effect of toric versus spherical contact lenses on vision and eyestrain.Eye & Contact Lens: Science & Clinical Practice. 2019;45(1):28-33. doi:10.1097/icl.0000000000000528Hwang A, Tuccar-Burak M, Peli E.Comparison of pedestrian detection with and without yellow-lens glasses during simulated night driving with and without headlight glare.JAMA Ophthalmol. 2019;137(10):1147. doi:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2019.2893Rauch K.Night driving glasses may hurt, not help. American Academy of Opthalmology. Jan. 30, 2018.Massachusetts Eye and Ear.7 tips for seeing clearly while driving at night. Harvard Medical School Teaching Hospital. September 17, 2018.American Automobile Association.What to do about cloudy headlights.
American Academy of Ophthalmology.Eye health statistics.
American Optometric Association.Astigmatism.
Berntsen D, Cox S, Bickle K et al.A randomized trial to evaluate the effect of toric versus spherical contact lenses on vision and eyestrain.Eye & Contact Lens: Science & Clinical Practice. 2019;45(1):28-33. doi:10.1097/icl.0000000000000528
Hwang A, Tuccar-Burak M, Peli E.Comparison of pedestrian detection with and without yellow-lens glasses during simulated night driving with and without headlight glare.JAMA Ophthalmol. 2019;137(10):1147. doi:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2019.2893
Rauch K.Night driving glasses may hurt, not help. American Academy of Opthalmology. Jan. 30, 2018.
Massachusetts Eye and Ear.7 tips for seeing clearly while driving at night. Harvard Medical School Teaching Hospital. September 17, 2018.
American Automobile Association.What to do about cloudy headlights.
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