What is it exactly?

Question

I have an astimatism and have had it since I was seven years old

what is it and how come I can't outgrow it

and how come my vision is getting worse

Answer 1

an astigmatism is just a fancy way of saying your eye is misshapen, and your vision usually does get progressivly worse if you have bad vision to start with

Answer 2

It is believed that most people are born with astigmatism and in some it develops and in others it doesn't. Did you have an eye test at 7? Perhaps this is when it was discovered.

An astigmatism is an eyeball which is shaped more like a rugby ball than the 'normal' football shape.

You may find that it causes you no problems at all or you may as you get older develop headaches and blurred vision.

Don't worry too much as I am 45 and only found I have mild astigmatism at a recent eye test, not enough to cause me to need glasses.

Answer 3

Well, astigmatism means tha tyou have a shape that is not round like a basketball. You have a shape to your cornea or to your inner crystaline lense, or to your retina, or...a combo of more than one...that is kind of like a football instead of a basketball. Does that make sense? In most refractive errors, they tend to get worse as you grow becuase along with your growth in the rest of your body, your eye changes as well. Once you stop growing your visual changes will level off. People who are young and have hyperopia, or farsightedness have been known to grow out of their vision troubles becuase it is mostly caused by having a short eyeball to beginwith and once they grow their eye grows and they can see fine. That does not happen all the time though, only sometimes. People with myopia and peole with astigmatism just do not get that luxury! I hope I did not confuse you more.