A normal, healthy eye appears like a basketball. For people with astigmatism, their eyes have the shape of an American football. The cornea and lens are usually curved equally in a healthy eye. This makes it possible for the light rays to focus on the retina sharply. For people with astigmatism, the rays are not refracted properly, which causes symptoms such as blurred vision. This condition may be accompanied by other refractive errors, including myopia and hyperopia. Astigmatism also affects both adults and children. For children, it is even worse since they may not be able to explain their symptoms, which can significantly affect their ability to learn. Taking your child in for routine eye exams is good since such problems can be detected early.