Can Astigmatism Get Better on Its Own?
Understanding Astigmatism and Why It Occurs
Astigmatism occurs when your cornea or the lens inside your eye has an irregular curvature. Instead of being shaped like a basketball with equal curves in every direction, your eye is shaped more like a football, with one meridian curved more steeply than the other. This uneven shape causes light to focus at multiple points rather than a single point on the retina, producing blurred or distorted vision at both near and far distances. Astigmatism is one of the most common refractive errors, and roughly 75 percent of adults in the United States need some form of vision correction according to the National Eye Institute and YouGov.
Most astigmatism originates from the shape of the cornea and is called corneal astigmatism. A smaller percentage comes from irregularities in the internal crystalline lens, known as lenticular astigmatism. In some cases, the lens and cornea partially offset each other, meaning a measurable amount of corneal astigmatism may not translate into noticeable vision problems because the lens compensates. This interplay is one reason your measured astigmatism can seem to shift between visits.
Regular astigmatism has two principal meridians that are perpendicular to each other and can be corrected predictably with glasses, toric contact lenses, or refractive surgery. Irregular astigmatism, where the curvature varies unpredictably across the cornea, is more complex. It may result from corneal scarring, keratoconus, or previous eye surgery and generally requires specialty lenses or surgical intervention rather than standard glasses.
Situations Where Astigmatism May Change Naturally
Astigmatism is relatively common in infants and toddlers. Studies show that many young children have measurable astigmatism that decreases naturally during the first few years of life as the eye grows and the cornea becomes more symmetrical. By school age, mild astigmatism present at birth often improves significantly. However, moderate to high astigmatism in childhood is less likely to resolve on its own and may require early treatment to support proper visual development.
In adults, minor fluctuations of a quarter to half a diopter between eye exams are normal and can occur due to differences in measurement technique, tear film quality at the time of testing, or slight natural changes in the lens. These small shifts may occasionally make it seem like astigmatism has improved. True resolution of moderate or high astigmatism without intervention, however, is extremely rare in adults whose eyes have finished growing.
As the natural lens inside your eye ages and a cataract begins to form, its shape can change in ways that alter existing astigmatism. In some cases, these lenticular changes partially neutralize corneal astigmatism, temporarily reducing the total refractive error. In other cases, cataracts can increase astigmatism. These changes are progressive and eventually require surgical correction when the cataract affects daily function.
Astigmatism that develops after corneal surgery, injury, or infection may improve as the cornea heals and stabilizes. Post-surgical astigmatism from procedures such as corneal transplant or pterygium removal can decrease over months as sutures are adjusted or removed and the tissue remodels. This type of improvement is specific to the healing process and does not reflect spontaneous resolution of pre-existing astigmatism.
Why Astigmatism Typically Does Not Go Away in Adults
Once your eye reaches full maturity in early adulthood, the corneal curvature that causes astigmatism is determined by the structural arrangement of collagen fibers within the cornea. This architecture does not spontaneously reorganize into a more symmetrical shape. While the degree of astigmatism may shift slightly over decades, the underlying irregular curvature remains.
Research shows that astigmatism tends to shift from a 'with-the-rule' pattern, where the steeper curve is vertical, toward an 'against-the-rule' pattern, where the steeper curve is horizontal, as you age. This means the orientation and sometimes the amount of astigmatism change, but astigmatism itself does not disappear. Understanding this progression helps our eye doctor anticipate how your astigmatism may evolve with age and adjust your correction accordingly.
Certain conditions cause astigmatism to increase rather than improve over time. Keratoconus, a progressive thinning and bulging of the cornea, is the most notable example. Pellucid marginal degeneration and other corneal ectasias also cause worsening irregular astigmatism. If your astigmatism is changing more rapidly than expected, our optometrist will evaluate you for these conditions to ensure timely treatment.
When Astigmatism Needs Correction
Very small amounts of astigmatism, generally less than 0.75 diopters, often produce minimal symptoms. Many people have trace astigmatism they are completely unaware of. If your vision is clear and comfortable without correction, our optometrist may simply monitor the condition at your regular eye exams rather than prescribe glasses or contacts.
When astigmatism reaches a level that causes noticeable blurriness, eye strain, headaches, or difficulty with tasks like reading or driving, correction becomes important for both comfort and safety. Glasses with cylindrical lenses and toric soft contact lenses are the most common solutions. For those who prefer freedom from corrective lenses, surgical options such as LASIK, PRK, and toric intraocular lenses during cataract surgery can provide lasting correction.
In children, even moderate astigmatism that causes no obvious complaints may need to be corrected to prevent amblyopia, commonly known as lazy eye. The developing visual system requires clear, focused images to build strong neural connections. If significant astigmatism is left uncorrected during critical years of visual development, lasting vision deficits can result even after the astigmatism is eventually treated.
Next Steps for Clearer Vision
If you have been told you have astigmatism or if you are experiencing blurred vision at any distance, scheduling a comprehensive eye exam is the most reliable way to understand your current prescription and whether it has changed. Even if your astigmatism feels stable, periodic exams allow our optometrist to detect subtle shifts and update your correction before symptoms become noticeable.
During your exam, our eye doctor will measure the curvature of your cornea, assess your overall refractive error, and check for any underlying conditions that could be affecting your astigmatism. Based on those findings, we will discuss whether monitoring, updated lenses, or other treatment options best fit your visual needs and lifestyle.
Because astigmatism rarely resolves on its own in adults, having a clear plan for ongoing management helps you maintain comfortable, sharp vision over time. Whether your plan involves updated glasses, specialty contact lenses, or a conversation about surgical correction, we are here to guide you through every option and help you see your best at every stage of life.
Frequently Asked Questions
No scientific evidence supports the claim that eye exercises, supplements, or diet changes can reshape the cornea and reduce astigmatism. Astigmatism is a structural characteristic of your eye, not a muscle weakness or nutritional deficiency. While overall eye health benefits from a balanced diet and regular care, the corneal curvature responsible for astigmatism is not affected by these measures.
Wearing glasses neither worsens astigmatism nor prevents any natural improvement. Corrective lenses compensate for the way light enters your eye but do not change the shape of your cornea or lens. Removing your glasses will not encourage your eye to correct itself.
LASIK and PRK can reshape the cornea to correct astigmatism with a high degree of precision, and results are considered permanent for the amount of astigmatism treated. However, natural age-related changes in the eye can cause small shifts in refraction over time, which may eventually require a minor enhancement or reading glasses. Our eye doctor can help you determine whether laser vision correction is a good option based on the stability and degree of your astigmatism.
Many children with mild astigmatism in infancy do see a natural reduction as they grow. However, this is not guaranteed, and children with moderate to high astigmatism are less likely to outgrow it. Regular eye exams starting in early childhood allow our optometrist to track changes and intervene with corrective lenses when needed to support healthy visual development.
Adults with stable astigmatism should have a comprehensive eye exam at least every one to two years. If you notice changes in your vision, increased blurriness, or new symptoms like headaches or eye fatigue, schedule an exam sooner. Children and those with progressive corneal conditions may need more frequent evaluations to catch meaningful changes early.
What our Patients say
4.8
Reviews
(3,408)