Myopia vs. astigmatism: What's the difference?
Myopia is blurry distance vision, and much more
People who have myopia (also commonly referred to as nearsightedness) struggle to see things clearly unless they’re up close. It’s important to note that our understanding of myopia continues to evolve. As the evidence grows, we’re learning blurry distance vision is just one of the symptoms associated with myopia. Myopia itself is a chronic, progressive disease that leads to the eye growing too long. This excessive eye growth doesn’t just make it harder to see things that are far away, it also may increase the chance of eye health issues later in life, like retinal detachment, certain types of macular degeneration—even blindness.
Astigmatism: A different cornea or lens shape
With most people’s eyes, the cornea or lens (part of the eye that helps focus light) is a spherical shape, like a basketball. This means that the light passing through the eye will focus consistently in one place. If that place is on the retina (the part of your eye that helps form the images you see), you likely have clear vision. With astigmatism, your cornea or lens isn’t spherical—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, 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.
The difference between them
Myopia and astigmatism are both very common vision issues caused by different shapes of the eye. A person can have just one, or both at the same time.
Myopia:
- It’s easier to see things that are up close
- Typically caused by the eye growing too long
As the grows longer than it should, it can cause strain and stress to the delicate structures of the eye, leading to sight complications later in life
Exact cause is unknown, but there’s evidence that its genetic, and that high levels of screen time can increase the risk of myopia by at least 30%
Typically stops progressing once a child’s body stops growing, but some people continue to progress into adulthood
Astigmatism:
Caused by a non-spherical cornea or lens in the eye
Causes blurry vision at all distances
Hereditary, and usually you’re born with it, but it may develop after an eye injury
Severity can increase or decrease over time
Can it be fixed or cured?
The way your eye doctor treats or corrects your astigmatism depends on a few factors, like your lifestyle and how severe your astigmatism is. The most common ways that eye doctors correct astigmatism—with glasses or contact lenses—are not permanent. When you stop wearing your vision correction, you will still experience the vision impacts of astigmatism. But there are more long-term options, like laser surgery.
To correct or manage?
The way your eye doctor may approach treating your myopia depends on a few things—like how old you are and whether or not your eyes have finished growing. If your eyes are done growing, they may simply prescribe correction like eyeglasses or contact lenses. If your eyes are still growing, they may come up with a myopia management plan to potentially help slow the growth of your eye. This could include special contact lenses, lifestyle changes, and more.
Frequently asked questions
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Footnotes
Consult your eye care professional for more information. Johnson & Johnson does not provide medical advice; this information is for educational purposes only.
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