Contact Lenses for Astigmatism: How Toric Lenses Work | Quality Eyes

Yes, you can wear contact lenses if you have astigmatism. The lenses you need are called toric lenses, and they are designed specifically to correct it. 

That answer matters, because a surprising number of people assume astigmatism rules contact lenses out altogether and carry on wearing glasses without ever asking. It doesn't. Toric lenses have been available for decades, the range on offer now is wider than it has ever been, and most wearers get on with them perfectly well. 

Here is how they work, what to expect when you start, and how to choose a pair that suits you. 

Can you wear contact lenses if you have astigmatism? 

You can. Astigmatism simply means the front surface of the eye is shaped a little more like a rugby ball than a football, so light focuses at more than one point instead of a single sharp one. A toric contact lens corrects that. 

What you cannot do is use a standard contact lens and expect it to handle astigmatism. A standard, or spherical, lens corrects long or short sight only. It has no way of addressing the uneven curve, so vision stays blurred or unstable. 

The practical requirement is a current contact lens prescription that includes the additional measurements a toric lens needs. A glasses prescription will not do, because it does not include the base curve and diameter figures required to fit a lens to your eye. 

What are toric contact lenses, and how do they correct astigmatism? 

A toric lens has two different powers built into a single lens. One corrects long or short sight in the usual way. The other corrects the astigmatism, and it sits at a specific angle across the lens. 

That angle is the whole point, and it is what makes a toric lens different from every other kind. Your prescription will show it as an axis figure between 0 and 180 degrees, alongside a cylinder value describing how much correction is needed. 

Why a toric lens has to stay in position 

A spherical lens can rotate freely on the eye without any effect on vision, because its power is identical all the way round. A toric lens cannot. If it rotates out of position, the correction no longer lines up with the astigmatism and vision goes soft. 

So toric lenses are built to hold their orientation. Most use a weighted or ballasted lower edge, so that the natural movement of blinking settles the lens back into place rather than spinning it. Different manufacturers approach this differently, and the stabilisation design is one of the main things separating a basic toric lens from a premium one. 

What happens if you wear regular contact lenses with astigmatism? 

Nothing dangerous, but you will not see properly. 

With a mild degree of astigmatism, some wearers do get acceptable vision from standard lenses, and an optician may well suggest trying them. Beyond that, the usual experience is vision that is blurry, slightly doubled, or clear at some moments and not others. People often describe having to blink repeatedly to sharpen things up, or find that reading and night driving are noticeably worse than they should be. 

If that sounds familiar and you are currently wearing standard lenses, it is worth raising at your next check rather than assuming this is as good as lenses get. 

Are contact lenses for astigmatism harder to wear? 

Mostly no, with two honest caveats. 

Handling is no different. A toric lens goes in and comes out exactly like any other soft lens, and most have a visibility tint, making them easier to see in the case. Modern toric lenses are also designed to settle quickly, usually within a few minutes of going in. 

The first caveat is adaptation. Because the lens has to find its orientation, some wearers notice vision taking a moment to stabilise after blinking, particularly in the first days. This normally settles as you get used to it. 

The second is fitting. A toric lens has more variables to get right, so getting the fit correct can take an extra appointment or a change of brand. That is routine rather than a problem, but it does mean toric lenses are not something to order on a guess. The prescription has to be right. 

On cost, toric lenses are typically a little more expensive than standard ones, which reflects the more complex manufacturing. 

Contact lenses or glasses for astigmatism? 

Both correct astigmatism well, and plenty of people use both depending on the day. 

Glasses need no handling, no cleaning routine and no prescription checks beyond the usual. For anyone who wears them happily, there is no reason to switch. 

Contact lenses give a wider field of view without frames in the way, they do not fog or slip, and they suit sport, wet weather and anything involving a helmet or safety gear. Many people with astigmatism also find peripheral vision feels more natural in lenses, because the correction sits directly on the eye and moves with it rather than staying fixed in a frame. 

It is not really an either-or. A lot of wearers use lenses for work and social occasions, and glasses at the end of the day. 

Daily or monthly toric lenses? 

Both are available for astigmatism, and the choice comes down to how often you wear them. 

Daily disposables suit occasional wear, part-time wear and, increasingly, full-time wear too. A fresh sterile pair each morning, nothing to clean, nothing to store. They also remove the risk that comes with a lens case and a cleaning routine that has quietly slipped. Toric dailies used to mean compromising on stability, and that is no longer the case. 

Monthly lenses suit consistent everyday wear where cost per day is the deciding factor. One pair lasts up to 30 days with a nightly clean, and monthlies tend to come in a slightly wider parameter range, which can matter for stronger or less common prescriptions. 

If you are unsure which suits you, take the two-minute quiz or speak to one of our opticians. 

Bausch + Lomb Ultra One Day for Astigmatism 

Bausch + Lomb Ultra One Day for Astigmatism is a daily disposable toric lens. It suits anyone who wants stable vision for astigmatism without the cleaning and storing routine that comes with a reusable lens. 

Three things define it. 

OpticAlign design handles the stabilisation problem described above. It keeps the lens correctly oriented on the eye through the natural movement of blinking, which is what gives you consistently clear vision rather than the drifting focus you get when a toric lens rotates out of place. 

A fresh pair every morning. Nothing to clean, nothing to store, and no lens case to keep on top of. For anyone who wears lenses a few days a week, travels regularly, or plays sport, that removes most of the maintenance from lens wear. 

Built-in UV protection, in a kalifilcon A material with 55% water content and an oxygen transmissibility of 114. One caveat worth being straight about: UV protection in a contact lens is not a substitute for sunglasses, because the lens only covers part of the eye. 

It comes in packs of 30, with powers from +4.00 to -8.00, cylinders from -0.75 to -2.75, and axis in 10 degree steps. If your prescription sits outside that, it is worth looking at the wider Bausch + Lomb range or asking one of our opticians. 

Can you get contact lenses for astigmatism and presbyopia? 

Yes, but you need a specific type of lens, and this is where a lot of people go wrong. 

Presbyopia is the age-related change that makes close focus harder, usually noticed from the mid-forties. It is corrected with a multifocal lens. Astigmatism is corrected with a toric lens. To correct both at once, you need a lens that is both: a toric multifocal. 

This is the part worth being clear about. A standard multifocal lens will correct presbyopia but will leave your astigmatism uncorrected, so you would get reasonable near vision and blurred vision generally. Buying a plain multifocal because it says multifocal on the box is a common and frustrating mistake. 

Acuvue Oasys Max 1-Day Multifocal for Astigmatism is one of the few lenses correcting both in a daily disposable. It combines a blink-stabilised design that holds the lens in position, a pupil-optimised design for near, intermediate and distance vision, TearStable Technology for hydration through the day, and a light filter reducing blue-violet light from screens. 

Like Ultra One Day for Astigmatism, this is a daily disposable, so the routine is identical. The difference is that it corrects near vision as well as astigmatism. 

How much do contact lenses for astigmatism cost? 

Toric lenses cost a little more than standard lenses, because they are more complex to manufacture. How much more depends on whether you choose daily or monthly, and on the brand. 

The bigger factor is usually where you buy. High street prices tend to sit above online prices for identical lenses from identical manufacturers. 

A lens subscription brings the running cost down further. You get 5% off every recurring order, free delivery on your first subscription order over £99, and automatic reorders so you are never caught short. There is no long-term contract, and you can cancel or change it any time after your second billing cycle. 

Where to buy contact lenses for astigmatism 

Buy from somewhere that treats the prescription as part of the product. 

If you are unsure which lens fits your prescription and your routine, take the two-minute quiz, or call and speak to one of our opticians directly. We would rather spend five minutes getting it right than sell you the wrong lens. 

If you have not had your eyes or your lenses checked in the last year, book that first. A toric lens only works properly when the prescription behind it is current