Eye Health Resources

Understanding the different types of astigmatism

The basics of astigmatism

What is astigmatism?

With most people’s eyes, the cornea or lens is a spherical shape, like a basketball. With astigmatism, your cornea or lens isn’t spherical like most people’s—it’s more cylindrical, like an American football. Since light isn’t passing through a uniform sphere shape, it doesn’t focus equally on your retina (the part of your eye that helps form the images you see), it focuses at two or more points. For example, one point might be on the retina and one might be behind the retina. This is what can create blurry or distorted vision.

Why does your astigmatism type matter?

Your eye doctor determines your astigmatism type to help find the best way to correct your vision. Astigmatism requires glasses or contact lenses that are made for the unique shape of your cornea or lens.

Regular vs. Irregular

Are your eye's curves perpendicular?

To talk about regular vs irregular astigmatism, first we have to talk about the different shapes that an astigmatism can take. If you imagine an American football, the curve is steeper in one direction, and flatter in the other, and the two different curves are perpendicular to each other. That’s essentially how regular astigmatism works.

Regular astigmatism

When the two curves of the cornea or lens are perpendicular to one another, or, at a 90 degree angle from one another. This is the more common of the two.

Irregular astigmatism

When the angle between the curves of your cornea or lens is not 90 degrees. This is often caused by a physical injury.

Types of Regular Astigmatism

What is the orientation of the astigmatism?

With-the-rule astigmatism

If we imagine the cornea or lens as an American football, it would be resting flat on the ground, making the steeper axis vertical and the flatter one horizontal. This is the most common type of the three.

Against-the-rule astigmatism

In this instance, the American football would be standing straight up, making the flatter curve vertical and the steeper curve horizontal.

Oblique astigmatism

Imagine if the American football was leaning. It would be at an angle, but the two curves would still be perpendicular to each other. For instance, 35 degrees and 115 degrees.

What we've learned so far

We’ve already thrown a lot of information at you, so here’s a quick recap.

There are quite a few categories of astigmatism
The shape of an American football can help you visualize how astigmatism differs from the more common spherical eye shape
With-the-rule corneal astigmatism is the most common type

For any questions that have com up so far, remember, your eye doctor is your best resource.

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Astigmatism by Vision Issues

The effect of astigmatism on eyesight

Five main types

Astigmatism can also be categorized by how it affects vision. As a refresher, with a spherical cornea, the light focuses in one place in the eye. If that place is the retina, a person probably has really clear vision. When the cornea or lens is shaped more like an American football instead of a sphere, the light focuses at two (or more) points. Where specifically it focuses is one way astigmatism can be categorized.

Simple myopic

One of the two focal points is in front of the retina, the other is on the retina

Compound myopic

Both focal points are in front of the retina

Mixed

One focal point is in front of the retina, the other is behind the retina

Simple hyperopic

One of the two focal points is behind the retina, the other is on the retina

Compound hyperopic

Both focal points are behind the retina

What's next

If you have astigmatism, or think you have astigmatism, you’re now well-versed in the different types and can have an informed conversation with your eye doctor about your options. Continue on to learn more about the contact lenses that ACUVUE offers for astigmatism and their features.

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Why choose ACUVUE for astigmatism?

Clear vision

Contacts provide unobstructed sight and correct astigmatism as well as nearsightedness or farsightedness.

BLINK STABILIZED^® design

For astigmatism, it’s extremely important that your lenses stay in place for clear vision. Ours realign with every blink.

Great for active lifestyles

Your vision stays clear and stable as you run, jump and twist. And unlike glasses, there's no risk of breaking contacts.

Apply and remove hassle-free

Due to the contact lens' design, it can't be put on upside down like most other lenses for astigmatism.

UV protection^#

ACUVUE offers UV blocking^# across its entire line of contact lenses, including those for astigmatism.

See ACUVUE Contact Lenses for Astigmatism

Get started with ACUVUE contact lenses

Try ACUVUE for free^*

Provide some basic information and get a certificate for a free^* trial pair

Free^* Trial

Find an eye doctor

Use our locator tool to find a doctor who can fit you with ACUVUE contact lenses

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Footnotes

Consult your eye care professional for more information. Johnson & Johnson does not provide medical advice; this information is for educational purposes only.

#Helps protect against transmission of harmful UV radiation to the cornea and into the eye. 

WARNING: UV-absorbing contact lenses are NOT substitutes for protective UV-absorbing eyewear such as UV-absorbing goggles or sunglasses because they do not completely cover the eye and surrounding area. You should continue to use UV-absorbing eyewear as directed. NOTE: Long-term exposure to UV radiation is one of the risk factors associated with cataracts. Exposure is based on a number of factors such as environmental conditions (altitude, geography, cloud cover) and personal factors (extent and nature of outdoor activities). UV-blocking contact lenses help provide protection against harmful UV radiation. However, clinical studies have not been done to demonstrate that wearing UV-blocking contact lenses reduces the risk of developing cataracts or other eye disorders. Consult your eye care practitioner for more information.

*Free trial contact lenses available only from participating eye care professionals. Exam and fitting fees not included.

‖Reward amount dependent on ACUVUE product and quantity purchased and if you are a new wearer. Must get an eye exam and purchase from participating provider. Original receipt required. Valid thru 12/31/25.
Rewards paid in the form of an ACUVUE^® Prepaid Mastercard^®. Use your card everywhere Mastercard is accepted in the U.S. issued by The Bancorp Bank, Member FDIC, pursuant to license by Mastercard International Incorporated. Mastercard is a registered trademark, and the circles design is a trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated. Your use of the prepaid card is governed by the Cardholder Agreement, and some fees may apply. This is not a gift card. Please note that prepaid cards are subject to expiration, so pay close attention to the expiration date of the card.

Important Information For Contact Lens Wearers: ACUVUE Contact Lenses are available by prescription only for vision correction. An eye care professional will determine whether contact lenses are right for you. Although rare, serious eye problems can develop while wearing contact lenses. To help avoid these problems, follow the wear and replacement schedule and the lens care instructions provided by your eye doctor. Do not wear contact lenses if you have an eye infection, or experience eye discomfort, excessive tearing, vision changes, redness or other eye problems. If one of these conditions occurs, remove the lens and contact your eye doctor immediately. For more information on proper wear, care and safety, talk to your eye care professional, call 1-800-843-2020, or download the Patient Instruction Guides.

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Understanding the different types of astigmatism

What is astigmatism?

Why does your astigmatism type matter?