The eye condition specialists refer to as astigmatism is caused by an irregularity on the front surface of the cornea.

The cornea is the clear front part of the eye. A regular cornea is spherical in shape, perfectly round on the front like a baseball.

With astigmatism, the cornea is curved oblong like the front surface of a football.

If not corrected, this condition can cause not only blurry vision but headaches and eyestrain. It usually affects distance vision more than near vision. A small amount of astigmatism is actually somewhat normal and many times requires no correction. More pronounced astigmatism can cause distortion, headaches, double vision and eyestrain.

The symptoms of astigmatism maybe subtle and need little or no correction. A thorough eye examination can determine if the astigmatism is the cause of blurred vision or these other symptoms. Corrective prescription eyewear may be needed. Soft, disposable contact lenses are sometimes prescribed by eye specialists.