How to read eye prescription? You may have received a prescription for contact lenses or spectacles at your recent routine check-up with your optometrist. What do all those cryptic abbreviations and numbers on that piece of paper mean?
How to read eye prescription
After seeing the optometrist and having your eyes examined, it’s time to acquire your prescription. How to read eye prescription? But when you look at it, you’re confused—what are all these numbers and characters supposed to mean? How do they determine the appropriate type of glasses for you?
Don’t worry. Even though eye prescriptions might be complex, we’ll break them down into their component pieces so you can learn how to understand them. It will improve your comprehension of your eyeglasses and serve as a handy party trick.
Look for the letters OD (right eye) and OS (left eye) on an eye prescription. The Sphere (SPH) is represented by the major numbers, where nearsightedness (myopia) is denoted by a negative sign (-) and farsightedness (hyperopia) by a positive sign (+).
The Cylinder (CYL) and Axis values are then determined, correcting for astigmatism, a condition in which the shape of the eye is uneven. There will be a stated Add (ADD power for reading glasses or bifocals.
Important Elements of an Ocular Prescription:
OD/OS:
- Represents Oculus Sinister (left eye) and Oculus Dexter (right eye). OU may be used for both eyes in some prescriptions.
SPH (Sphere):
- This figure is the total lens power required to correct nearsightedness or farsightedness.
- You require correction for far vision if you have nearsightedness (myopia), indicated by a negative (-).
- A plus (+) indicates that you require near vision correction since you are farsighted (hyperopia).
Cylinder, or CYL:
- Astigmatism is a condition where the eye’s curvature is not exactly round, and this measurement corrects it.
The axis:
- This value, which ranges from 1 to 180 degrees, represents the angle or orientation at which the CYL power should be inserted into the lens to treat astigmatism.
ADD (Addition):
- This is the additional power that is provided to the lenses for close-up work or reading, and it is seen on prescriptions for multifocal lenses, such as progressives, for individuals over 45.
Pupillary distance, or PD:
- The separation between your students.
An illustration of interpretation
If the following appears on your prescription:
OD: -2.50 SPH & OS: -2.75 SPH
Both of your eyes are nearsighted. The figures indicate how much correction is required for each eye.
OD: 180° Axis, -0.50 CYL, -1.00 SPH
At a 180-degree angle, your right eye requires an astigmatism correction of -0.50 and a spherical correction of -1.00.
Important Note: The stronger the prescription and the more serious the visual problem, the greater the absolute value of the Sphere or Cylinder values (e.g., -3.00 vs. 1.00).
Scale of Eye Prescriptions | How To Read Eye Prescription
Let’s learn more about the Scale of Eye Prescriptions:
Diopters:
Diopters are represented by any numbers in the “Sphere” or “Cyl” columns of your eye prescription. Similar to grams or ounces, diopters are units of measurement. Diopters, on the other hand, measure a lens’s refractive strength as opposed to its mass.
If your prescription is higher, you will see larger numbers (more optical power!), and if your eyesight is less dependent on glasses or contacts, you will see smaller numbers.
It’s influential to keep in mind how to interpret your eye prescription and be aware that these figures might be either positive or negative, depending on the type of refractive defect in your eye, and go along a number line in any direction. You wouldn’t require any optical power from lenses if you didn’t need glasses at all: 0 diopters.
Numbers that are negative:
Myopia, or nearsightedness, is indicated by a negative sign before a number. For instance, a person with -3 diopters of nearsightedness may find it difficult to see writing on a chalkboard from a distance.
Numbers that are positive:
Diopters used to cure hyperopia, or farsightedness, are indicated by a plus sign before a number. For instance, a person who has +3 diopters of farsightedness may find it difficult to read writing that is very near to their face.
Will the Prescription for Your Eyes Change?
After we know how to read eye prescription, we should also know more about will the prescription for your eyes will change or not? Unless they are the expected outcome of a therapy or accident, significant changes in your vision prescription over time are abnormal and should be looked into.
However, as you and your eyes age, little, gradual changes are undoubtedly possible.
For instance, as you age, you should anticipate developing presbyopia, which usually affects people in their forties. If that occurs, you may wish to add new progressive lenses to your existing frames or purchase a set of reading glasses.
It’s a good idea to have your eyes tested annually, even if you don’t think your vision has changed and you’re not having any concerning symptoms. An optometrist will keep an eye on your eye health and adjust your prescription as necessary if you get an annual eye exam.
Summary About How To Read Eye Prescription
A copy of your eye prescription is something you are legally entitled to. One should be given to you by your eye doctor upon request or following your examination.
To obtain your prescription, you don’t need to buy glasses from their clinic, and you shouldn’t ever be charged a price just to acquire it. To make online shopping for glasses and contacts even easier, we advise keeping a copy handy.
Finding glasses or contacts that make you feel amazing is the only thing left to do now that you have a clear understanding of your eye prescription!
If you need any further information, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Platinum Lenses Egypt. One of our advisors will be pleased to help you choose the best lens alternatives for your prescription, lifestyle, and price range for either men’s or women’s glasses.
