A lot of children and adults have astigmatism, which is a light-focusing issue like nearsightedness (myopia) and farsightedness (hyperopia). In fact, you can think of astigmatism as two levels of nearsightedness in the same eye, and a child with astigmatism will see streaking of lights and blurry images at all distances.
According to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health, about 4% of preschoolers have myopia (nearsightedness), 21% have hyperopia (farsightedness) and 10% have astigmatism (irregular curvature of the eye).1
When looking at astigmatism vs. myopia, both conditions can be mostly addressed by glasses, contact lenses and laser eye surgery to restore clear vision, at least temporarily.
What does it mean to be nearsighted (or myopic)?
Myopia, or nearsightedness, is when a person can’t see far-away objects clearly.2 This occurs when the cornea is curved too much or the eye is longer than usual. Instead of being focused precisely on the retina, light is focused in front of the retina, making distant objects seem blurry.3
What does it mean to have astigmatism?
Astigmatism is when there are different prescriptions (different levels of nearsightedness) in the same eye. A child with astigmatism will see streaking of lights and blurry images at all distances. They may have headaches, eye strain and trouble seeing at night.4
You may have seen social media content of nighttime lights streaking in a certain direction. That’s often because of astigmatism—when the front of the eye, called the cornea, isn’t perfectly round like a ball but more football-shaped. This makes light focus on the retina at two different points instead of just one.
Now it’s your turn: Cover one eye at a time and look at this clock dial. If one set of lines appears darker than the other, you likely have uncorrected astigmatism.
Is astigmatism common?
Astigmatism is a very common eye problem that can make your vision blurry or distorted. The only way to confirm you have astigmatism is to get an eye exam with an eye care professional.4
Can astigmatism get worse?
Astigmatism often stays stable in children past the age of 2 or 3, even as they grow—unlike myopia, which continues to get worse, often prior to seventh grade.5 There are certain exceptions. A condition called keratoconus can cause astigmatism to aggressively worsen in the late teenage years and early 20s.6 Experts used to think keratoconus happens to one in 2,000 people, but now believe it’s closer to one in 500, and possibly even a bit more.6
How is astigmatism different from myopia?
Astigmatism and myopia are similar, and both can affect vision, but there are some key differences between the two, including:2
Eye shape
While astigmatism is caused by a different cornea (or lens) shape, myopia occurs when the eye itself has either grown too long or the cornea is curved too steeply to properly focus light on the retina.2 In both cases, vision is affected by the eye having a different shape.
Vision symptoms
Both astigmatism and myopia can cause blurry vision at a distance, but astigmatism also may cause blurry vision up close. Children with mild astigmatism and myopia get by just fine, but worsening myopia makes children more and more dependent on their glasses or contact lenses to function in everyday life.
Prevalence and long-term risks
Astigmatism, farsightedness (hyperopia) and nearsightedness (myopia) are the most common refractive errors.7 They’re known to run in families and are seen in 15% of children, and while the prevalence of astigmatism and myopia varies throughout the world, debilitating astigmatism is less common, while myopia often progresses and can lead to further vision problems.2,8
Can astigmatism or myopia cause blindness?
Parents may be asking: Can myopia cause blindness? Can astigmatism cause blindness?
Astigmatism, even in high amounts, does not lead to blindness. Myopia in some cases can lead to blindness when the stretching of the eye, due to accelerated growth, causes permanent compromise to the retina (the inner lining of the eye).9
The life-long impacts of eye issues for your child
Your child’s vision helps them see the world, and it plays an important role in their development.10 Issues with their vision can cause challenges at home, at school, during extracurricular activities and sports, and more.11
Understanding treatment options for your child
If you suspect your child is struggling with one of these conditions, it’s time to make an appointment with an eye doctor for a comprehensive eye exam. Regular eye exams and consultation with your eye doctor or an optometrist who specializes in kids’ eyesight are the best ways to maintain good eye health and minimize the risk of potential problems.
If your child is diagnosed with myopia, your doctor may prescribe MiSight® 1 day, the only FDA-approved* contact lens designed for myopia control that both corrects vision and slows the progression of myopia in children aged 8-12 at the initiation of treatment.†12 They’re the only dual-purpose contact lenses for children to correct vision and help keep nearsightedness from getting worse quickly.†12
You can find a MiSight® eye doctor and start your free trial of MiSight® 1 day contact lenses.
Sign up for new information about MiSight® 1 day.
The content in this article is not intended to be medical advice or to replace the recommendation of a medical professional.
* INDICATIONS AND BRIEF SAFETY INFORMATION for MiSight® 1 day soft contact lens:
INDICATIONS:
MiSight® 1 Day (omafilcon A) Soft (Hydrophilic) Contact Lenses for Daily Wear is a prescription device indicated for the correction of nearsightedness and for slowing the progression of nearsightedness in children with non-diseased eyes, who at the initiation of treatment are 8-12 years of age and have a refraction of -0.75 to -4.00 diopters (spherical equivalent) with ≤ 0.75 diopters of astigmatism
BRIEF SAFETY INFORMATION:
Rx only; results may vary.
ATTENTION: Reference MiSight.com/safety for a complete listing of Indications and Important Safety Information.
INDICATIONS: MiSight® 1 day (omafilcon A) soft (hydrophilic) contact lenses for daily wear are indicated for the correction of myopic ametropia and for slowing the progression of myopia in children with non-diseased eyes, who at the initiation of treatment are 8-12 years of age and have a refraction of -0.75 to -4.00 diopters (spherical equivalent) with ≤ 0.75 diopters of astigmatism. The lens is to be discarded after each removal.
WARNINGS: Problems with contact lenses could result in serious injury to the eye. Do not expose contact lenses to water while wearing them. Under certain circumstances MiSight® lenses optical design can cause reduced image contrast/ghosting/halo/glare in some patients that may cause difficulty with certain visually-demanding tasks.
PRECAUTIONS: Daily wear single use only. Patient should always dispose when lenses are removed. No overnight wear. Patients should exercise extra care if performing potentially hazardous activities.
ADVERSE EVENTS: Including but not limited to infection/inflammation/ulceration/abrasion of the cornea, other parts of the eye or eyelids. Some of these adverse reactions can cause permanent or temporary loss of vision. If you notice any of the stated in your child, immediately have your child remove the lenses and contact your eye care professional.
‡‡ National rebate: *Available on purchases between 1/1/26-12/31/26. Must submit rebate form within 60 days of lens purchase.
† Compared to a single-vision, 1-day lens over a 3-year period.
References
1 National Eye Institute. National Institutes of Health releases data from largest pediatric eye study. https://www.nei.nih.gov/about/news-and-events/news/national-institutes-health-releases-data-largest-pediatric-eye-study. Accessed 24 October 2023.
2 Morales-Brown, L. What are the differences between astigmatism and myopia? https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/astigmatism-vs-nearsightedness#definitions. Accessed 24 October 2023.
3 Mayo Clinic. Astigmatism. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/astigmatism/symptoms-causes/syc-20353835. Accessed 24 October 2023.
4 National Eye Institute. Astigmatism. https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/astigmatism#:~:text=Astigmatism%20is%20a%20common%20eye,to%20get%20an%20eye%20exam. Accessed 24 October 2023.
5 McKean-Cowdin R, Varma R, Cotter SA, Tarczy-Hornoch K, Borchert MS, Lin JH, Wen G, Azen SP, Torres M, Tielsch JM, Friedman DS, Repka MX, Katz J, Ibironke J, and Giordano L. Risk factors for astigmatism in preschool children: The multi-ethnic pediatric eye disease and Baltimore pediatric eye disease studies. Ophthalmology. 2011 Oct;118(10):1974-81.
6 Godefrooij DA, de Wit GA, Uiterwaal CS, Imhof SM, Wisse RP. Age-specific incidence and prevalence of keratoconus: A nationwide registration study. Am J Ophthalmol. 2017 Mar;175:169-172.
7 Boston Children’s Hospital. Astigmatism, hyperopia, and myopia. https://www.childrenshospital.org/conditions/astigmatism-hyperopia-and-myopia. Accessed 24 October 2023.
8 Hashemi H, Fotouhi A, Yekta A, Pakzad R, Ostadimoghaddam H, and Khabazkhoob M. Global and regional estimates of prevalence of refractive errors: Systematic review and meta-analysis. J Curr Ophthalmol. 2017 Sep 27;30(1):3-22.
9 Bullimore MA, Brennan NA. The underestimated role of myopia in uncorrectable visual impairment in the United States. Sci Rep. 2023 Sep 15;13(1):15283.
10 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Keep an eye on your child’s vision. https://www.cdc.gov/visionhealth/resources/features/vision-health-children.html#:~:text=Your%20child's%20vision%20helps%20them,to%20keep%20their%20eyes%20healthy. Accessed 24 October 2023.
11 CooperVision. Eye issues in children: How nearsightedness and blurry vision can affect your child. https://misight.com/blog/eye-issues-children-how-nearsightedness-and-blurry-vision-can-affect-your-child#:~:text=These%20conditions%2C%20called%20%E2%80%9Crefractive%20errors,like%20sports%20and%20performing%20arts. Accessed 14 November 2023.
12 Chamberlain P., et al. A 3-year randomized clinical trial of MiSight lenses for myopia control. Optom Vis Sci. 2019;96(8):556–567.