Astigmatism is a condition where the cornea has an irregular shape that causes problems with vision. The cornea, the clear covering of the lens and iris, serves as a protection to the eye and helps transmit light thru the eye. The cornea is normally spherical in shape, but those with astigmatism may have their cornea more oval shaped. This oval shaping causes light to scatter instead of focusing to a single point as it passes thru the cornea and results in blurred vision.

If you've ever looked at the images produced but those wavy mirrors at carnivals, you'll have some idea of how astigmatism can distort your vision.

Astigmatism is characterized by distortions in your field of vision, often noted as the blurring of lines. Astigmatism is also a common cause of eyestrain and headaches, especially with prolonged reading or lengthy sessions at the computer. Astigmatism causes blurring of your vision at all distances, so objects close up and even those far away will be blurred. Often present at birth, astigmatism affects many people, although not all cases are severe enough to require corrective treatment.