It’s possible to have presbyopia and astigmatism at the same time. Treatments such as prescription contacts or glasses and eye surgery can help correct both conditions.

Astigmatism and presbyopia are two eye conditions that can affect your vision. Presbyopia makes it difficult to see things close-up, and astigmatism leads to blurry vision.

Presbyopia and astigmatism have different underlying causes, and it’s possible to have both conditions at the same time. When this happens, treatments such as prescription glasses, contact lenses, and eye surgery can help correct both conditions.

Treatments for presbyopia and astigmatism depend on the severity and the stage of each condition.

Mild astigmatism and presbyopia can often be managed without treatment or with only slight lifestyle changes. For mild presbyopia, this might mean reading books that have larger print and using brighter lights while you work. And you might not need to take any corrective steps for mild astigmatism.

Prescription glasses

Many people with presbyopia need treatment that helps address both conditions. Often, this means wearing prescription glasses. A pair of glasses to correct astigmatism can also help correct presbyopia.

An optometrist can prescribe the best prescription glasses for you.

Contact lenses

Contact lenses can sometimes be an option for people with both presbyopia and astigmatism.

Multifocal contact lenses correct for presbyopia, and toric contact lenses correct for astigmatism. You can wear toric multifocal contact lenses to correct both conditions.

If you have astigmatism in both eyes, you also have the option to wear a toric contact lens for distance vision in one eye and a toric contact lens for near vision in your other eye. This is called monovision and is an alternative to multifocal contact lenses.

RGP contacts are usually best for people with more severe astigmatism You can read more about contacts for astigmatism.

Surgery

Surgery might be an option for people with astigmatism, presbyopia, or both.

Eye surgeries such as LASIK and PRK can change the way light hits your eyes to help correct your vision. The best surgery for you depends on a variety of factors, including your visual difficulties, your eye health, and your overall health. Your occupation may also factor into which surgery you choose to have.

Combination treatments

Sometimes, a combination of treatments can help with both presbyopia and astigmatism. For instance, you might use eye drops to treat presbyopia and prescription glasses to treat astigmatism.

An optometrist or ophthalmologist can design the best treatment plan for you.

Can astigmatism be corrected with over-the-counter reading glasses?

Over-the-counter reading glasses can be helpful for mild presbyopia. They’re often available at grocery stores and pharmacies and are typically affordable.

However, these nonprescription glasses won’t help correct astigmatism. You’ll need prescription glasses from an eye doctor to address astigmatism.

Astigmatism is an eye condition that results in blurry vision. It happens when part of your eye is shaped abnormally. This causes light to bend differently when it enters your eye and changes how you see.

The abnormal shape can be in the front layer of your eye (the cornea) or the inner part of your eye that helps focus your vision (the lens).

Some people are born with astigmatism. It’s also possible to develop the condition later in life, especially after an eye injury or eye surgery. There’s no known cause for astigmatism and no way to prevent it.

People with mild astigmatism might not notice any symptoms. Some people might experience only slightly blurry vision. However, astigmatism can also lead to other symptoms, including:

Presbyopia is a vision condition that is a common part of aging and generally starts at around age 45. This condition makes it more difficult for you to see things that are close.

It happens because your eye’s lens gradually loses its ability to accurately focus light on your retina.

Presbyopia is progressive, and your vision may continue to decline until about age 70. This is because your eye’s lens gets harder and less flexible as you get older, and this changes the way your lens focuses light.

Presbyopia isn’t the same as farsightedness.

Symptoms of presbyopia can include:

  • difficulty seeing objects up close
  • eyestrain
  • the need to hold books, screens, magazines, and other reading materials at a distance to focus on them
  • headache

Astigmatism and presbyopia are two eye conditions that affect your vision.

The two conditions have different causes and symptoms. Presbyopia is part of aging and makes it difficult to see objects that are close. Astigmatism is the result of an abnormal eye curve that causes blurry vision.

It’s possible to have both conditions at the same time. When this happens, treatments such as prescription glasses or contacts and surgery can help correct both conditions.