A plano concave cylindrical lens will expand light on a single axis. It is also known as a negative cylindrical lens, and is used for one-dimensional image compression, anamorphic beam shaping, and laser line generation.

A plano convex cylindrical lens focuses light on one axis, and can also be used to magnify an image in one direction. These lenses are also known as positive cylindrical lenses, and are often used in laser projection.

Aspheric cylindrical lenses have a form that deviates from that of a true cylinder. They are related to standard cylindrical lenses in the same way standard aspheric lenses are related to spheric lenses. Designed to reduce spherical aberrations, they are used in much the same contexts as other cylindrical lenses.