What Is Presbyopia?
A natural part of ageing, presbyopia affects near vision from around age 40. Multifocal contact lenses can correct both near and distance vision simultaneously.
Contact Lenses for Astigmatism
How astigmatism affects your vision, how toric lenses correct it, and what to look for in daily disposable and monthly toric options.
Toric contact lenses are specifically designed to correct astigmatism. This is a common condition where the cornea or internal lens of the eye is irregularly curved, causing blurred or distorted vision at all distances. Unlike a standard spherical lens, which has the same optical power across its entire surface, a toric lens has two different powers built into it to address the unique shape of your eye. The key is their ability to stay in one stable orientation with every blink — modern toric lenses use proprietary stabilisation technologies to keep your vision consistently sharp rather than fluctuating throughout the day.
Important
Contact lenses should only be ordered online if they have been prescribed by your optometrist and you have worn them before. If you are considering a new lens brand or type, consult your optometrist first and request a trial pair before purchasing. Wearing a lens that has not been professionally fitted to your eyes can cause discomfort and serious complications.
What Is Astigmatism?
Astigmatism is a common refractive error caused by an irregular curvature of the cornea (the clear front surface of your eye) or, less commonly, the internal lens. In a perfectly shaped eye, the cornea is evenly curved like a soccer ball. In an astigmatic eye, it is shaped more like a rugby ball, with one curve steeper than the other. This uneven shape means incoming light does not focus onto a single point on the retina, resulting in blurred or distorted vision at all distances.
You may notice shadowing around text, streaking from light sources at night, or persistent eye strain and headaches after visually demanding tasks. These are the characteristic symptoms of uncorrected astigmatism. The condition is extremely common — most people have at least a small degree of astigmatism, and for many, it is present from birth. It is also possible to have astigmatism alongside myopia or hyperopia, which is why some prescriptions include both sphere (SPH) and cylinder (CYL) values.
What Causes Astigmatism?
Astigmatism is primarily inherited. The shape of your cornea is largely determined by genetics, which is why a family history of the condition significantly increases your likelihood of developing it. It is often present in childhood and may fluctuate during development before stabilising in early adulthood.
Astigmatism can also develop or change following eye surgery, injury, or certain corneal conditions. Keratoconus is a progressive condition where the cornea gradually thins and bulges forward into a cone shape. It causes a more complex, irregular form of astigmatism that requires specialised contact lens fitting. After age 40, the axis of astigmatism commonly shifts even when the overall degree remains stable, which is why your toric prescription may need updating more frequently as you get older.
Eye rubbing and keratoconus
Chronic eye rubbing is a well-established risk factor for both the onset and progression of keratoconus. Each time you rub your eyes, mechanical pressure causes micro-trauma to corneal cells and releases inflammatory enzymes that progressively weaken corneal collagen fibres. Stopping the habit is one of the few modifiable actions that can slow disease progression.2
How Toric Contact Lenses Work
A toric lens corrects astigmatism by placing two different optical powers at precisely the right orientations over your cornea.1 Because your eye has an irregular shape, the lens must stay in one fixed position to keep those powers correctly aligned, even as you blink and move your eyes. If the lens rotates freely, your vision blurs.
To prevent this, toric lenses are engineered with stabilisation zones (areas of the lens that are slightly thicker or weighted). These interact with the natural pressure of your upper and lower eyelids to hold the lens in the correct orientation. Different brands use different proprietary approaches.
BLINK STABILISED® Design
Uses four active zones around the lens perimeter that interact with the eyelids on every blink to restore and maintain the correct orientation.
Acuvue (Johnson & Johnson)PRECISION BALANCE 8|4®
Uses precision weighting at the 8 and 4 o'clock positions to maintain consistent lens orientation throughout the day.
AlconOptimised Toric Lens Geometry™
Uses uniform horizontal thickness across the lens to create a stable profile that resists rotation without relying on ballast weighting.
CooperVisionDaily Disposable Options for Astigmatism
Daily disposable toric lenses are worn for a single day and discarded each night. You need no cleaning and no storage case, just a fresh, sterile lens every morning. This replacement schedule is particularly well suited to toric wearers who also have mild dry eyes or seasonal allergies, as there is no opportunity for deposits to build up on the lens surface and aggravate symptoms.
Dailies TOTAL1 for Astigmatism
Water gradient technology with PRECISION BALANCE 8|4® stabilisation. Near-100% water surface for superior comfort.
AlconAcuvue Oasys 1-Day for Astigmatism
HydraLuxe® moisture technology combined with BLINK STABILISED® design for consistent all-day vision.
Johnson & JohnsonMyDay Toric
Smart Silicone™ material with Optimised Toric Lens Geometry™ for stable vision throughout the wear day.
CooperVisionPRECISION1 for Astigmatism
SMARTSURFACE® micro-thin moisture layer combined with a stable toric design. A strong entry-level option.
AlconMonthly and Fortnightly Toric Lenses
Monthly and fortnightly toric lenses are a strong option for wearers with higher degrees of astigmatism or less common prescription combinations that are not always available in daily formats. These lenses cover a broader parameter range, making them the practical choice when daily options cannot accommodate your prescription.
Biofinity Toric
Aquaform® Technology with Optimised Toric Lens Geometry™ for consistent monthly wear comfort and stable vision.
CooperVision — monthlyAir Optix plus HydraGlyde for Astigmatism
HydraGlyde® moisture matrix with PRECISION BALANCE 8|4® stabilisation for monthly wear in dry environments.
Alcon — monthlyAcuvue Oasys for Astigmatism
Hydraclear Plus® wetting agent with BLINK STABILISED® design. A reliable option for fortnightly toric wearers.
Johnson & Johnson — fortnightlyConsistent cleaning is essential
With reusable lenses, consistent cleaning with an approved multipurpose or hydrogen peroxide solution is non-negotiable. Protein and lipid deposits on the lens surface reduce optical clarity and significantly increase your infection risk if not thoroughly removed each evening.
Understanding Your Toric Prescription
A toric contact lens prescription includes two measurements you will not find in a glasses prescription: cylinder (CYL) and axis. Understanding what these values mean helps you verify your prescription is correct when ordering.
Cylinder (CYL)
The degree of astigmatism and the additional optical power needed to correct it. A higher absolute value indicates a more significant degree of astigmatism.
Degree of astigmatismAxis
A number between 1 and 180 specifying the precise angle at which the cylinder power must be positioned on your eye. This is what determines the orientation the toric lens must maintain.
Orientation angleYou cannot use your glasses prescription to order toric contact lenses directly. A glasses prescription does not include fitting parameters like base curve and diameter, and the physical distance between a glasses lens and your eye changes the effective power required. A professional toric contact lens fitting, including a trial period and stability assessment, is required before a prescription is finalised.
Silicone Hydrogel in Toric Lenses
Silicone hydrogel (SiHy) is the material of choice for modern toric contact lenses because of its high oxygen permeability. This means more oxygen reaches your cornea during wear. This is critical for toric lenses specifically because their varying thickness profile, required for stabilisation zones, can restrict oxygen flow in certain areas if a lower-grade material is used.
With silicone hydrogel, adequate oxygen transmission is maintained across the entire lens surface regardless of thickness. This reduces the risk of corneal oxygen deprivation during long wearing days, and most optometrists will recommend a silicone hydrogel toric lens as the default starting point for new toric wearers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can astigmatism be corrected with daily disposable contact lenses?
Yes. Daily disposable toric contact lenses are widely available and are often the first lens type recommended for new toric wearers. Options such as Dailies TOTAL1 for Astigmatism, Acuvue Oasys 1-Day for Astigmatism, and MyDay Toric provide both astigmatism correction and the hygiene benefits of a fresh lens every day.
Why does my vision blur with toric contact lenses after blinking?
Blurring after a blink with toric lenses is typically a sign that the lens is rotating off its correct axis rather than returning to its stable position. This can happen if the base curve does not match the shape of your eye, if the stabilisation design is not suited to your eyelid anatomy, or if your prescription has changed. Return to your optometrist for reassessment. They may trial a different brand or adjust the axis value to compensate for predictable rotation.
Does rubbing your eyes make astigmatism worse?
Frequent, habitual eye rubbing can worsen astigmatism over time. Mechanical pressure applied directly to the cornea causes micro-trauma to corneal cells and releases inflammatory enzymes that progressively weaken the cornea's structural collagen fibres. In eyes already predisposed to corneal instability, this is a well-established risk factor for the onset and progression of keratoconus.2
Does astigmatism get worse with age?
Astigmatism can change with age, though significant worsening is not inevitable for most people. After age 40, a well-documented shift occurs. The cornea tends to gradually move from with-the-rule astigmatism (steeper vertically) toward against-the-rule astigmatism (steeper horizontally) due to natural changes in corneal shape and eyelid tension.3 This is why regular prescription reviews remain important even when your vision feels stable.
Contact lens suitability, replacement schedules, and wear times must always be confirmed by your optometrist based on your individual prescription and eye health.
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References
- American Optometric Association (AOA): Astigmatism diagnosis and treatment. aoa.org
- PubMed / PMC: The correlation between keratoconus and eye rubbing: a review. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- PubMed: Age-Related Changes in Corneal Astigmatism. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov