Astigmatism test online: Test yourself for astigmatism at home
Medically reviewed by Jakub Odcházel, DiS., Chief Optician, on 27 Jun 2024. Written by Maria Chiara Tarsia, Colin Asher
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Did you know that about 70% of all glasses wearers are astigmatic? Check your eyes for astigmatism now with our at-home test!
What is astigmatism?
Astigmatism is a word you may have heard over the years, particularly in commercials, but do you actually know what it is?
Astigmatism is a common vision defect that causes difficulties in near and far vision, headaches, and blurry vision. It can affect people of any age, and often those affected are also nearsighted or farsighted. In these cases, it takes the name of myopic astigmatism or hypermetropic astigmatism.
Actually, an eye that has astigmatism has a different shape than a normal healthy eye.
Take a look at our infographic below:
Normally the cornea should appear spherical, with a shape that resembles a basketball. But when astigmatism occurs, it appears more squashed, like a rugby ball (and everyone knows rugby is worse for your head than basketball!)
How is astigmatism diagnosed?
An eye exam performed by an optician or an ophthalmologist can determine whether you suffer from astigmatism.
If you think you might have astigmatism and are considering making an appointment with an eye doctor, you can get a head-start by testing yourself at home.
How to test yourself for astigmatism online
You can use a simple self-test to check if you have astigmatism while you are waiting for your eye test appointment.
But remember: self-tests should be used as a simple tool to satisfy personal curiosity and not as an actual diagnosis.
The following type of astigmatism self-test is called a dial test. (Trust us, it has nothing to do with an old-school telephone).
How to use the dial test
- Place yourself at about 35–40 cm from the picture.
- Look at the image with one eye covered at a time.
- Then, look again at the image with both eyes.
- If you wear glasses, repeat the test both with and without them.
How to understand the results
- If the rays appear blurry or unclear in one or more directions, this could indicate you have astigmatism.
- If you detect differences in lines even when wearing your glasses, you should have your glasses and your eyes checked again because your prescription lenses can be incorrect or outdated.
- In both cases, you should visit your optician or ophthalmologist.
What are the symptoms of astigmatism?
One salient symptom is that round objects can appear oval due to distortion. This is because the change of eyeball shape causes light to be refracted incorrectly. This distortion can cause our eyes and brain to correctively compensate and overexert themselves. Since our brain is the wonderfully subtle machine that it is, you might not even register this strain, but simply feel more tired than usual—at least until you find the perfect prescription. No wonder so many people don't know they are astigmatic until they get tested for it.
Here are the most common symptoms of astigmatism. If you are astigmatic, you might experience all of them or just some:
- Distorted or fuzzy images
- Eye fatigue and/or visual discomfort
- Frequent squinting
- Blurred vision both from afar and up close
- Headache
- Watery eyes
- Impaired vision at night
Can astigmatism get worse?
The bad news: Yes, especially if nothing is done to alleviate stress on the eyes.
The good news: According to researchers, astigmatism usually remains relatively stable until 50 years of age, only increasing progressively faster after 60. However, when these changes occur, it is likely that your prescription needs adjustment.
The reasons for a worsening can be congenital or due to trauma, dry eye syndrome, or bad habits such as excessive squinting or incorrect use of glasses or contact lenses. Sometimes, though, it can get worse for no reason at all. This is why eye check-ups are fundamental and must be repeated periodically.
Correcting astigmatism with glasses
Astigmatism can be easily corrected with glasses that mount single-vision toric lenses. Toric lenses are available both for glasses and contact lenses. They differ from those for simple myopia and hyperopia.
At Lentiamo you can find different types of lens materials and special coatings to suit your situation. You just need an updated glasses prescription. Simply choose your favorite frames from our wide selection of top eyewear brands, fill in your parameters (you can find them in your eye prescription) and wait for delivery!
Correcting astigmatism with contacts
Toric contact lenses can correct both myopia and hyperopia at the same time as astigmatism. These lenses for astigmatism have three different parameters that are created with different angled curvatures.
If you’re wondering whether to go for contacts or glasses to correct your astigmatism, keep in mind that contacts are typically used to correct more moderate forms of astigmatism. Another factor to consider is the daily activities you perform when using your eyewear.
