Prognosis for Astigmatism Without Corrective Lenses

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Prognosis for Astigmatism Without Corrective Lenses

Question:

I have been diagnosed with astigmatism (-0.75 in the right eye; -2.00 in the left). My vision is not perfect, but I don't feel I need glasses. I don't have headaches even though I read a lot and work on a computer. Occasionally, I skip a line of the text I'm reading, but that doesn't bother me. My doctor told me I must wear glasses, otherwise my condition could worsen. Is that true? Is there any health risk to not wearing glasses?

Answer:

There is no health risk to an adult by not wearing glasses. Wearing or not wearing glasses will not influence the progression of astigmatism or any refractive error. (A refractive error is the need for glasses. It means there is an error between the power of the eye and the power needed to see clearly.)

Glasses could help prevent injury because they serve as a protective shield to the eye.

I might be a little concerned about the astigmatism in your left eye if this is a new development. I wonder about a change in the shape of the eye, particularly the shape of the cornea. Astigmatism can appear in the early phase of some progressive diseases, such as keratoconus. Progressive diseases can change the shape of the cornea, which produces the astigmatism. An ophthalmologist can diagnose these conditions.

Don Bienfang, M.D, is an assistant professor of ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School and the Senior Surgeon in the Department of Surgery and Chief of Neuro-Ophthalmology in the Department of Neurology at Brigham and Women's Hospital.

Last updated:	July 20, 2009