Astigmatism vs. Myopia — What's the Difference?

Astigmatism is a type of refractive error in which the eye does not focus light evenly on the retina, due to a variation in the optical power of the eye for light coming from different directions. This results in distorted or blurred vision at any distance.

A visual defect in which distant objects appear blurred because their images are focused in front of the retina rather than on it. Also called nearsightedness, short sight.

A visual defect in which the unequal curvature of one or more refractive surfaces of the eye, usually the cornea, prevents light rays from focusing clearly at one point on the retina, resulting in blurred vision.

Lack of discernment or long-range perspective in thinking or planning

(optics) A defect of a lens such that light rays coming from a point do not meet at a focal point so that the image is blurred.

(pathology) A disorder of the vision where distant objects appear blurred because the eye focuses their images in front of the retina instead of on it.

(pathology) A disorder of the vision, usually due to a misshapen cornea, such that light does not focus correctly on the retina causing a blurred image.

(figurative) A lack of imagination, discernment or long-range perspective in thinking or planning.

A defect of the eye or of a lens, in consequence of which the rays derived from one point are not brought to a single focal point, thus causing imperfect images or indistinctness of vision.

Nearsightedness; shortsightedness; a condition of the eye in which the rays from distant object are brought to a focus before they reach the retina, and hence form an indistinct image; while the rays from very near objects are normally converged so as to produce a distinct image. It is corrected by the use of a concave lens.

(ophthalmology) impaired eyesight resulting usually from irregular conformation of the cornea

(ophthalmology) eyesight abnormality resulting from the eye's faulty refractive ability; distant objects appear blurred

(optics) defect in an optical system in which light rays from a single point fail to converge in a single focal point