If you feel that your eyesight has become blurrier than it normally is, there is a possibility that you may also have astigmatism. This condition occurs when the curvature of your eyes' lenses are either slightly warped or curved abnormally. Besides the blurry vision, there are also a couple of signs to look for which may strengthen the possibility that you have astigmatism.

1.  Objects That Are Straight Appear Crooked to You

One sign to see if you may have astigmatism can be discerned by looking at objects around you. If an object is known to be almost perfectly straight, such as a door frame or countertop, appears crooked to you, your misperception may be caused by the condition.

Since the lenses of your eyes refract light and help you to focus on and perceive objects, then you will see things as though they are off-center or crooked if they have an abnormal curvature. Then, if you try to straighten something like a picture frame to where it looks right to you, you will actually be making it crooked.

One way to know for sure whether something is actually crooked or if it is a condition with your eyes is to use a level to verify the object's straightness. If the bubble is centered between the lines of the level and you still see that the object is crooked, you may have astigmatism and should have your eyes examined.

2.  Night Driving Becomes Difficult Because of Light Distortions

Another sign that your eyes have astigmatism is when you start having trouble driving at night. When you look at lights coming toward you, they may appear distorted or even have halos around them.

Because the light is traveling through warped lenses in your eyes, it will appear to be distorted once the signals reach the optic nerve that sends the image to your brain. However, light distortions could also be a sign of cataracts or glaucoma. As such, you will need to have an eye exam to determine the actual cause. 

If you suspect that your blurry vision is caused by astigmatism, you should have your eyes examined, especially if the condition is impacting your ability to see. Make an appointment with an optometrist near you so that they can verify if your suspicions are correct and discuss your options for treating your vision, such as special corrective lenses for either your glasses or contacts. Contact an optometrist for more information.