What is Ocular Polystigmatism?

-- Eric Howlett (poly@world.std.com), January 26, 2002

Answers

Ocular Polystigmatism (Poly for short), "eye of many points," suggests that a small sharp light source, such as a star, is seen as many points, and that is exactly right. And larger objects will be seen as many overlapping images of the same thing. That this is usually interpreted as a "blur" is a source of confusion, because it is quite different from the smooth defocus blur a near or far-sighted eye produces.

-- Eric Howlett (poly@world.std.com), January 26, 2002.