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| Astigmatism - uncorrected |
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| Astigmatism - corrected |
Astigmatism is a common visual condition. It is caused when the front surface of your eye, called the cornea, is not perfectly round. So instead of having equal curvatures like a football, it has two different curvatures like a rugby ball, click here for. As a result light is focused at two different points on the retina, which leads to blurred or even double vision.
Click here for diagrams of types of vision errors
Knowingly, or unknowingly, virtually everyone has some astigmatism because the front surface of the eye, the cornea, is hardly ever completely spherical in
shape. Unless of a significant amount a spectacle optician will not necessarily even mention astigmatism to patients since it is so normal.
Regular Contact Lenses will correct lower degrees of astigmatism and again the wearer need never know they have any. If however the difference in curves of the cornea is too great more complex Contact Lenses are needed to give clear vision and the best comfort.
Many people have been lead to believe they can't wear Contacts because of having astigmatism - this is absolutely untrue!
What is true is that to fit lenses to correct higher degrees of astigmatism requires considerably more experience and most of all time!
Any Optometrist who specialises will fit lenses to correct astigmatism but often fitters who only use one or two "off the peg" designs will shy away from the more complicated fits. Many refer their complex patients to The Contact Lens Practice.
Geoff Wilson has always fitted astigmatic patients, initially with rigid lenses and since 1976 with Soft Lenses. In fact he designed the Proclear Toric lens in 1995 and this now has American Food & Drugs Authority approval and is marketed World Wide.
Click here for a more info about correction of Astigmatism with Contacts. | 
