Does astigmatism get worse with age?
It can change slowly, and a small amount of against-the-rule astigmatism is common as people get older. A rapid change in one eye, or a new difference between the two eyes, is worth examining rather than watching.
- Subject
- Vision problems
- Topic
- Astigmatism
- Kind of question
- Other questions
- Last reviewed
- 22 September 2026
What this answer depends on
- How the readings have changed between visits
- Whether the change is in one eye or both
- Whether there is any other symptom alongside it
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Where this answer sits
It is one of 483 answers in the vision and eye health knowledge base, filed under Vision problems & prescriptions in Astigmatism . The subject page carries the answers either side of it, and the hub is searchable.
Subjects this question touches
The pages that answer the subject behind the question, rather than the question itself.
- Condition Astigmatism
This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
General answers cannot tell you what is happening in your own eyes. Only an examination by a qualified ophthalmologist can do that.
Sources & further reading
We prefer primary sources. Where a claim comes from a manufacturer, a single study or a regulator, it is labelled as such below.
- EyeSmart: eye health information for the public
Patient-facing material from the largest ophthalmology professional body, covering conditions, tests and treatments outside refractive surgery.
Used for Cross-checking patient-facing explanations of non-refractive eye conditions; Describing what tests such as dilation and OCT involve.
Link checked 23 September 2026