Certified Paraoptometric (CPO) Exam – Practice Test & Study Guide 2025

Astigmatism results from an irregular shape of the cornea or lens, leading to light being focused unevenly on the retina. The common visual symptom associated with astigmatism is blurred or distorted vision. This occurs because the eye cannot bring all light rays into a single focus, which causes images to appear stretched or wavy, particularly at certain angles. This distortion can affect both near and distance vision, making it a fundamental characteristic of astigmatism.

Double vision, night blindness, and color blindness refer to different types of visual disturbances that do not specifically relate to the distortive effects caused by astigmatism. Double vision involves seeing two images of a single object and could be due to other issues, while night blindness is associated with difficulty seeing in low-light conditions, often related to retinal problems. Color blindness involves the inability to perceive certain colors and is not directly connected to the type of refractive error that defines astigmatism.