Most people have some degree of astigmatism. Astigmatism occurs when the front surface of your eye (cornea) is slightly irregular in shape, resulting in vision being blurred at all distances. Astigmatism is not a disease, but is actually a vision condition that is quite common. When the front of your eye is more oval than round, light does not focus properly on the back of your eye (retina). The causes of this irregular shape are unclear. In some cases, it may be hereditary or it may result from such factors as pressure of the eyelids on the cornea, incorrect posture or an increased use of the eyes for close work.

Astigmatism is refractive error caused by an irregular shape of the cornea (much like a football). Astigmatism is measured in terms of diopters, cylinder meridian or axis. Uncorrected astigmatism may produce ghosting or double images

Nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism can all be successfully treated today with LASIK - up to certain approved parameters, depending upon the laser and the skill of the surgeon performing the procedure. For example, people who wear glasses only for reading are not good candidates. In addition to the visual and medical requirements, up to 14 diopters of myopia, or nearsightedness, with up to 5 diopters of astigmatism for the VISX STAR S2 Excimer Laser System. The best candidates tend to be people who are dissatisfied with their contact lenses or glasses and are motivated to make a change, whether it's due to occupational or lifestyle reasons. However, only an eye doctor who is specially trained can evaluate whether or not a patient is medically suitable for laser vision correction.