How to Read My Prescription
How to Read
My Prescription
On a typical prescription, you will usually see two sets of rows. Most of the time, the top portion is for your OD (Oculus Dexter), or right eye, while the bottom portion is for your OS (Oculus Sinister), or left eye.
For Distance Correction:
There should always be a value under Sphere (SPH), and most of the time, it is negative. Its abbreviation, "D.V.", stands for Distance Vision.
For Reading-Only Correction:
There should always be a value under Sphere (SPH), and most of the time, it is positive. If there is a value under Near Vision (N.V. or N.V.O.), then enter that power in the BOTTOM half of the form and leave the ADD power blank or ("0.00").
For Astigmatism Correction:
Please note that Cylinder (CYL) and Axis are always provided together. For any value of Cylinder, there should always be a corresponding value for Axis.
- Some doctors use positive (+) cylinder, and some use negative (-). There is a significant difference between the two, so please pay close attention to the positive and negative signs.
- If you do not have astigmatism, doctors might leave the CYL and Axis fields blank or simply write "SPH" or "DS" (which stands for Sphere or Diopters Sphere).
- Axis values should range from 1 to 180 degrees. If you see a value like "5" under Axis, this is the same as "005" or "5 degrees." It should always be a whole number, with no decimal points.
For Bifocals, Progressive Lenses, and Freeform Lenses (ADD Power):
Please confirm with your eye doctor whether the Addition (ADD) power is specifically for bifocals, progressives, or freeform lenses. Most of the time, the ADD power for progressives and freeform lenses is higher by 0.25 compared to bifocal addition, so please verify. An indication that your prescription is for progressive or freeform lenses might be a "PAL" note written on the prescription. If only one ADD value is listed, it means the addition for both the left and right eyes is the same. Please be advised that we process Addition powers within a minimum of +1.00 and a maximum of +3.50.
Important Notes on Values:
Eye doctors will sometimes omit the decimal point on the Sphere, Cylinder, and Addition values. For example, "-25" or "+175" should be understood as "-0.25" and "+1.75" respectively. Very importantly, pay close attention to the plus (+) and minus (-) signs, as this will greatly affect the lens correction.
If there is anything on your prescription that you are unfamiliar with, please do not hesitate to contact our Customer Service team, and we will be happy to assist you.
