Eye Health Resources

Understanding the different types of astigmatism

The basics of astigmatism

What is astigmatism?

An illustrated side-view of an eye labeled with a few important parts shows how light focuses in a astigmatic eye

With most people’s eyes, the cornea or lens is a spherical shape, like a football. With astigmatism, your cornea or lens isn’t spherical like most people’s—it’s more cylindrical, like an American football. Since light isn’t passing through a uniform sphere shape, it doesn’t focus equally on your retina (the part of your eye that helps form the images you see), it focuses at two or more points. For example, one point might be on the retina and one might be behind the retina. This is what can create blurry or distorted vision.

Why does your astigmatism type matter?

A man with a mustache and light shining in his eye has his face pressed up against an optometrist's machine

Your optometrist determines your astigmatism type to help find the best way to correct your vision. Astigmatism requires glasses or contact lenses that are made for the unique shape of your cornea or lens.

Regular vs. Irregular

Discover the Types of Astigmatism

To talk about regular vs irregular astigmatism, first we have to talk about the different shapes that an astigmatism can take. If you imagine an American football, the curve is steeper in one direction, and flatter in the other, and the two different curves are perpendicular to each other. That’s essentially how regular astigmatism works.

A teal oval with blue lines shows a representation of the curvatures of regular astigmatism

1. Regular astigmatism

When the two curves of the cornea or lens are perpendicular to one another, or, at a 90 degree angle from one another. This is the more common of the two.

Irregular astigmatism curves diagram

2. Irregular astigmatism

When the angle between the curves of your cornea or lens is not 90 degrees. This is often caused by a physical injury.

Types of Regular Astigmatism

What's the orientation of the astigmatism?

A blue front-view illustration of an eye shows the orientation of with-the-rule astigmatism

With-the-rule astigmatism

If we imagine the cornea or lens as an American football, it would be resting flat on the ground, making the steeper axis vertical and the flatter one horizontal. This is the most common type of the three.

A blue front-view illustration of an eye shows the orientation of against-the-rule astigmatism

Against-the-rule astigmatism

In this instance, the American football would be standing straight up, making the flatter curve vertical and the steeper curve horizontal.

A blue front-view illustration of an eye shows the orientation of oblique astigmatism

Oblique astigmatism

Imagine if the American football was leaning. It would be at an angle, but the two curves would still be perpendicular to each other. For instance, 35 degrees and 115 degrees.

What we've learned so far

We’ve already thrown a lot of information at you, so here’s a quick recap.

For any questions that have com up so far, remember, your Optician is your best resource.

Astigmatism by Vision Issues

The effect of astigmatism on eyesight

Five main types

Astigmatism can also be categorized by how it affects vision. As a refresher, with a spherical cornea, the light focuses in one place in the eye. If that place is the retina, a person probably has really clear vision. When the cornea or lens is shaped more like an American football instead of a sphere, the light focuses at two (or more) points. Where specifically it focuses is one way astigmatism can be categorized.

Simple myopic

One of the two focal points is in front of the retina, the other is on the retina

Compound myopic

Both focal points are in front of the retina

Mixed

One focal point is in front of the retina, the other is behind the retina

Simple hyperopic

One of the two focal points is behind the retina, the other is on the retina

Compound hyperopic

Both focal points are behind the retina

Five illustrated eyes show how two focal points from astigmatism can create different vision issues

What's next

If you have astigmatism, or think you have astigmatism, you’re now well-versed in the different types and can have an informed conversation with your Optician about your options. Continue on to learn more about the contact lenses that ACUVUE® offers for astigmatism and their features.

Why choose ACUVUE® for astigmatism?

Clear and stable vision1

No matter how active you may be, your vision with ACUVUE® contact lenses for astigmatism is clear and stable all day1 and can correct for both short-sightedness and long-sightedness.

EYELID STABILISED® design

For astigmatism, it's extremely important that your lenses stay in place for clear vision. ACUVUE® lenses realign with every blink2.

Great for active lifestyles

Your vision stays clear and stable1 as you run, jump and twist. And unlike glasses, there's no risk of breaking contact lenses.

Easy application and removal

Due to the contact lens' design, it can't be applied upside down like most other lenses for astigmatism2.

Built in UV protection#

ACUVUE® offers UV blocking# across its entire line of contact lenses, including those for astigmatism

Get started with ACUVUE® contact lenses

Try ACUVUE® for free*

Provide some basic information and get a contact lens free* trial

Find an Eye Care Professional

Use our locator tool to find an eye care professional who can fit you with ACUVUE® contact lenses

* Please note professional eye examination and fitting fees may apply. GCC residents 18 or over only. One trial per person. Eligibility subject to Eye Care Professional approval. Participating Eye Care Professionals only. See link for full terms and conditions.

All ACUVUE® contact lenses have UV Blocking to help provide protection against transmission of harmful UV radiation to the cornea and into the eye. UV absorbing contact lenses are NOT substitutes for protective UV absorbing eyewear such as UV absorbing goggles or sunglasses because they do not completely cover the eye and surrounding area. You should continue to use UV absorbing eyewear as directed by your Eye Care Professional.

For more information on proper wear, care and safety, talk to your Eye Care Professional and read the Instructions for Use.

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Last updated 12/07/2024.