How do flashy holiday lights affect astigmatic people?

Astigmatic people may face a special challenge during the Christmas season in the form of striking light especially while driving during evening and night time.

Blurred vision is the result of astigmatism, which is a defect in the curve of the eye.

About 150 million Americans suffer from a form of refractive error, known as astagmatism.

“Holiday lights can negatively impact people with astigmatism due to the way light is refracted in their eyes,” said James Kelly, MD, an ophthalmologist based in New York City and Long Island.

“I define astigmatism as a common eye condition where the cornea or lens is irregularly shaped, causing light rays to refract unevenly and leading to blurred or distorted vision,” he said.

Holiday lights may appear blurred or have an elongated starburst for astigmatic patients, Jennifer L Stone, OD, an optometrist based in Baltimore, told Health.

“This glare may interfere with the crisp details of their vision and can impact distant and near objects,” she said.

It's crucial to realise that astigmatism comes in various degrees and that, although being a prevalent ailment, many people have little to no symptoms.