Blurry vision is the number one reason people visit our Squamish clinic, but why is it blurry? As your optometrist, my job is to find the answer to that question, and it almost always comes down to the unique shape of your eye.

Two of the most common reasons for blurry vision are myopia (nearsightedness) and astigmatism. They are often confused with each other, but they affect your vision in very different ways.

To understand them, let’s start with a simple analogy. A “perfect” eye is shaped like a round basketball, which allows it to focus light onto one single, clear point on the retina at the back of the eye. When the eye’s shape is different, it’s called a refractive error, and the light doesn’t focus correctly.

Myopia: The “Long” Eye

Myopia, or nearsightedness, is a condition where the eyeball itself is slightly too long from front to back, or the cornea (the clear front surface) is too curved.

This elongated shape causes light to focus in front of the retina, instead of directly on it.

What does this feel like? The result is clear vision up close (like reading a phone or a book) but blurry distance vision. Here in Squamish, this might mean the Stawamus Chief looks fuzzy, street signs are hard to read, or you squint to recognize a friend from across the street. It’s like a projector that’s positioned too far from the screen—the image lands short, making it fuzzy.

Myopia is incredibly common and its prevalence is growing. Research, including a significant 2016 study in the journal Ophthalmology, shows that rates are increasing worldwide, especially among children.

Astigmatism: The “Irregular” Eye

Astigmatism, on the other hand, is when the cornea or the lens has an irregular shape.

Instead of being round like a basketball, an eye with astigmatism is shaped more like a football or an egg. This means the front surface has two different curves—one steeper and one flatter.

This irregular shape scatters light, creating multiple focus points instead of one. The result is blurry or distorted vision at all distances—near, far, and in-between.

Besides general blurriness, the most common signs of astigmatism we hear from our patients include:

• Significant eye strain and headaches, especially after reading or computer work.
• Constantly squinting to try and “force” things into focus.
• Difficulty with night driving. The irregular shape scatters light from headlights and streetlights, causing glare, starbursts, or halos.

Myopia and Astigmatism: Yes, You Can Have Both

“Dr. (Name), can I have both?” This is one of the most common questions we get, and the answer is yes! In fact, it is extremely common for these two refractive errors to exist together.

An eye can be both too long (myopia) and have an irregularly shaped cornea (astigmatism) at the same time. This usually results in blurry distance vision (from the myopia) that is also distorted, “shadowed,” or just not quite sharp at any distance (from the astigmatism).

How We Correct Myopia and Astigmatism

The good news is that both myopia and astigmatism are easily corrected once we have the right measurements from your eye exam.

• Glasses & Contact Lenses: This is the most common solution. A standard prescription lens (a “spherical” lens) corrects myopia by uniformly bending light to move the focal point back onto your retina.
  Astigmatism, however, requires a special “toric” lens. You can think of this as a smart lens. It has two different powers in it, precisely aligned to match and correct the two different curves of your “football-shaped” cornea. This brings the two scattered focal points back into one, clear image.
• Refractive Surgery: Procedures like LASIK or PRK are also highly effective at correcting vision. The laser reshapes the cornea, correcting its length (for myopia) and its irregular shape (for astigmatism), often in a single treatment.

Clear Vision Starts at Garibaldi Eye Care

Myopia makes your distance vision blurry. Astigmatism makes your vision blurry or distorted at all distances. It’s very common to have both, and trying to guess which one you have is impossible without an exam.

A comprehensive eye exam is the only way to get a clear diagnosis and a precise prescription. If you’re struggling with blurry vision, headaches, or eye strain, you don’t have to just “live with it.” We are here to help.

Book your appointment at Garibaldi Eye Care in Squamish today, and let’s get your world back into sharp focus.