Is it okay to wear contact lenses without correcting astigmatism?

　　Excessive or prolonged use of eyeglasses—or extended screen time on smartphones and other electronic devices—can overstimulate the eyes, potentially leading to visual problems such as blurred vision. While wearing glasses is the optimal corrective method in such cases, it may affect one’s appearance. It is important to remove them appropriately in specific situations. So, can contact lenses be worn without correcting astigmatism?

　Can contact lenses be worn without correcting astigmatism?

　　Yes, contact lenses can be worn even if they do not correct astigmatism. However, standard soft contact lenses are generally not designed to correct astigmatism; instead, specialized toric contact lenses are required for effective astigmatism correction. Nevertheless, prolonged wear of contact lenses—especially non-permeable types—is not recommended, as it may cause dry eyes. Therefore, patients should consider alternating with or primarily using eyeglasses. For individuals with astigmatism, frame-based corrective lenses (particularly toric eyeglasses) are the preferred initial option—especially for children and adolescents. Contact lens wear carries a higher risk of complications; adults may consider them only after careful evaluation. Notably, most commercially available soft contact lenses do not correct astigmatism.

　　In recent years, rigid gas-permeable (RGP) contact lenses have become increasingly common for correcting corneal astigmatism. Their advantages include superior astigmatism correction—particularly for oblique or high-degree astigmatism—and significant reduction of spatial distortion in binocular vision. If you wish to wear contact lenses, it is advisable to consult an ophthalmologist at a hospital eye clinic first. Patients with ocular surface diseases should opt for eyeglasses instead.

　　In daily life, cultivating healthy lifestyle and dietary habits is essential. We hope this response has been helpful to you.