Review highlights uncertain role of astigmatism in myopia progression

Astigmatism may influence myopia progression and response to myopia control treatments, but current evidence is limited and inconsistent, according to a study.

Researchers analyzed more than 1,000 studies, ultimately including 47 that examined the relationship between astigmatism, myopic eye growth, and the impact on myopia control interventions. Most of the studies originated from Asia, where myopia rates are among the highest globally.

The review found that astigmatism appears more common in individuals with myopia, and some evidence suggests the conditions may influence each other. However, data on whether uncorrected astigmatism accelerates myopic progression, or whether astigmatism affects the success of treatment strategies such as optical or pharmacologic interventions, remains limited and inconsistent across studies.

The authors emphasize the need for well-designed prospective studies, particularly in ethnically diverse pediatric populations, to clarify whether astigmatism should inform treatment decisions.

Reference
Kearney S, Shah R, Vlasak N. The role of astigmatism in myopia development, myopia progression and myopia control. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt. 2025;doi: 10.1111/opo.70030. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41165543.