You've probably asked yourself many times, what does my glasses prescription mean? Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Accessibility Statement. They can also be written anywhere on the prescription. What does SPH mean for glasses? Thats why weve put together a short guide to help you learn how to read a glasses prescription so you can get to ordering your new set of eyeglasses as quickly as possible. This number is followed by the base direction, or thickest edge, of the prism. oBundle. Sphere: The sphere (SPH) on your prescription indicates the lens power you need to see clearly. If not, keep on your reading and you will find the full explanations in the following part. These will usually be specific types of corrective lens recommendations such as multifocal lenses, progressives, anti-reflective coating, photochromatic, or transition lenses. If there is no number written under the CYL part, this means you are free from astigmatism and need no eye contact. Progressive For multi-focal glasses, as well as reading and computer glasses, your Rx will include an ADD or NV value. Prescribing spectacles: reasons for failure of spectacle lens acceptance. If a prescription includes cylinder power, it must be followed by an axis. How to enter your glasses prescription online. ; values are usually entered with computer, but may be handwritten by doctor. : r/glasses. This instructs the person making your glasses to use a lens of similar weight to balance out the frame. Here at Spex4Less, you will find both of these options directly above the prescription form. The AXIS, in degrees, is a number between 0 and 180. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. OD and OS are abbreviations of the Latin words oculus dexter and oculus sinister, respectively. Cylinder: The cylinder (CYL) number indicates the . For example, "1.5" or 1. When we look at the eye prescription written by our consultant, different questions come to mind. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Optometrists measure SPH values in increments of 0.25 diopters, and when people talk about their prescription degree, theyre usually talking about their sphere value. Those individuals having 1.5 or more diopters will definitely need to use eyeglasses in order to correct the vision. All About Vision and AllAboutVision.com are registered trademarks of AAV Media, LLC. The number 90 corresponds to the vertical meridian of the eye, and the number . SPH is a + or - value in 0.25 steps and is required to correct your nearsightedness (-) or farsightedness (+). The less common prism Rx refers to the amount of prismatic power needed to compensate for eye alignment issues (e.g., double vision or lazy eye). Sphere (SPH) and Cylinder (CYL) always have a (+) or (-) sign. The Axis means the angle between the two meridians of an astigmatic eye. This doctor has elected to add "SPH," to confirm the right eye is being prescribed only spherical power. However, many opticians will simply write the value somewhere under, or next to, the distance values. Copyright 2022 VisionCenter.org. CYL (Cylinder) CYL is a '+' or '-' value in 0.25 steps and is required to correct your astigmatism. Most values range from +/- 0.25 to +/- 4.00 and will go up in steps of 0.25. i'm considering online since I need 1.74 hi-index and that can run expensive even in online stores, and a lot of local shops around me only offer up to 1.67. why isn't online a good idea? Well break down your prescription step-by-step. The temple should be long enough to keep the frame securely in place without any pressure on your ears. The number marked axis describes the orientation of astigmatism. United States Cylinder is the indication of the lens power amount that is basically needed for the eyes disease named astigmatism (blurred vision). 1. What Do the Abbreviations on My Glasses Prescription Mean? Do a "deep search" instead. Sometimes opticians use the word 'Add' or 'Near' instead of 'addition'. Similarly, the values concerning the correction of your left eye may be indicated as "LE", "Left", "Left Eye" or "OS" which is an abbreviation for Oculus Sinister, the Latin term for "Left Eye". When you hold the prescription, have you ever been curious to know what the number and letters mean for your eyesight? That means that you have no astigmatism to correct in that eye. Inter, refers to intermediate, this is the prescription required to correct intermediate vision, and may appear in full, or as an additional power (ADD) to the distance. Social cookies allow you to utilize social media features. Pro Tip - Make sure to pay particular attention to whether the values are a + or -. If you have an astigmatism, you will find a "+" or "-" value in this box. Did you get confused? All frame measurements can be found in the details tab on our product pages. They may mention that you have either of the following: They probably gave you an eyeglasses prescription that looks something like this: These are all crucial pieces of information when getting your eyewear. The PD/Pupillary Distance is generally measured during a sight test, but is not routinely written on a prescription, you can ask for this from your Opticians, or ask them to add it to your prescription when you are tested. This is always "+" value in 0.25 steps. An AXIS will only be found on your prescription if there is a CYL value for the same eye. Sphere is basically a measure of how strong your prescription needs to be. The axis indicates the angle (in degrees) between the two meridians of an astigmatic eye. The Sphere is also used to correct the nearsightedness or farsightedness. A survey of the criteria for prescribing in cases of borderline refractive errors. This just means the eye has difficulty focusing at certain angles. A minus sign () means it's correcting nearsighted astigmatism, while plus sign(+) means it's correcting farsighted astigmatism. This shows how much focal point power, estimated in diopters (D), endorsed to address myopia or farsightedness. The Zenni Optical website says I need that bit, but all it let's you input are positive or negative numbers, I can't write in SPH even if I knew what it mean. The axis is the astigmatism orientation. It will be a number between 1 and 180. What does sphere cylinder and axis mean? If you cant make sense of your eyeglass prescription, youre not alone. The 20/20 vision is the correct vision for normal eyes. SPH is the abbreviation for the word sphere. What does SPH mean for glasses? If the glasses help to improve the vision, then the person is not legally blind. There is no astigmatism correction for this eye, so no cylinder power or axis is noted. Is 20/20 or 6 by 6 vision perfect eyesight? In this case, the eye doctor has prescribed -2.00 D sphere for the correction of myopia in the right eye (OD). If the optometrist wrote "DS" or "Sph" or "Spherical" in the Cylinder space, it indicates no correction and should be entered as 0 on the order form. Or, are the sphere & axis values so small they can be dropped off? It is usually separated by 90 degrees. I agree to Olives, How to Know If You Need Glasses? Astigmatism is often present at birth, but it can develop, or become more severe, as you get older. This number is always positive, even if it doesnt have a plus sign (+) in front of it. These include: Sphere indicates the amount of lens power, measured in diopters(D), prescribed to correct nearsightedness or farsightedness. Our entire range of womens prescription designer glasses. Axis - If an eyeglass prescription includes cylinder power, it also must include an axis value, which follows the CYL power. In AXIS, the lens meridian plays an important role. In the context of an eye prescription. If nothing appears in this column, either you have no astigmatism, or your astigmatism is so slight that it is not really necessary to correct it with your eyeglass lenses. In the third part, we will show you what the Axis in glasses is. Alternatively, you may have a row for "Distance" and a space provided for a "Near Addition" or "Reading Addition". This indicates the amount of lens power for astigmatism. 5. This indicates the amount of lens power, measured in diopters (D), prescribed to correct nearsightedness or farsightedness. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. 2004 - 2023 Spex4less, Fashion Specs Direct LTD, All Rights Reserved. This extra power will ALWAYS be the same for each eye and may only appear once on your prescription but it is understood to be meant for both eyes. Sphere, Cylinder, and Axis on Eye Prescriptions Sphere: The sphere (SPH) on your prescription indicates the lens power you need to see clearly. They can also be written anywhere on the prescription. This indicates the amount of lens power, measured in diopters (D), prescribed to correct nearsightedness or farsightedness. This is always a "+" value in 0.25 steps. Keep your prescription up to date so these numbers can accurately reflect your visual needs. Impact resistance and prescription compliance with AS/NZS 1337.6:2010. Get the latest updates on new products and upcoming sales, 2023 Conversely, if your prescription does not display a CYL value, you do not need an Axis value. This correction is often used for driving, television and general wear (walking around). Traditional eyeglasses are usually single vision lenses with one pre Metal frames are suitable for wearing. Typical SPH numbers range between 0.00 and +/- 20.00. The sphere is measured in Dioptre's, your prescription may have the word Plano or Pl or an infinity sign, this means that you are neither long nor short sighted but zero power for the Sphere, however you may have astigmatism - a CYL and AXIS on your prescription. Most values range from 0.00 to +/- 20.00 and go up in steps of 0.25. Clicking 'I have TWO complete rows of figures on my prescription" will open up new option boxes for you to open your prescription. This number will appear as a decimal (0.5) or fraction (), followed by two letters indicating the base direction: There may be additional information written by your optometrist or ophthalmologist regarding your eye health. Youll often see this terms on eyeglass prescriptions. 844-249-8359 Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. However, for complex prescriptions, such as when your SPH or CYL values fall beyond theaverage range, prescription orders can take up to9 days to complete because optical labs will need tomake custom-edgedlenses for you. Typically, youll see several abbreviations and words labeling all of the important data on your prescription. Add, Near Add, Reading Addition- These all relate to your reading addition and can be written anywhere on the prescription. SPH, or sphere, refers to the amount of correction needed for nearsightedness or farsightedness. Msg frequency may vary. In the right eye, the prism is base down (BD); in the left eye, it's base up (BU). Essentially, OD means right eye, and OS means left eye. The information on this free-form prescription is usually handwritten. It is the amount of magnification required to "ADD" to the "SPH" value of your "Distance" prescription to correct your near vision. By the end of this article, youll know exactly how to read your glasses prescription and what your prescription means. This prescription is for the left eye, and -1.50 means that your nearsightedness is measured at 1 and 1/2 diopters. Like SPH and CYL, optometrists measure ADD in increments of 0.25 diopters. For example: "+2.25 ADD" or "Add +2.25". A prescription for correcting eye alignment issues will include a PRISM and BASE value. The 'addition' is only required if the glasses are going to be used for reading or close work. If you have been provided with a BVD value ensure to enter it into the additional information or comments box provided with any online prescription forms. Sphere refers to the power of your lens (measured in dioptre units) to correct the degree of short or long sight you have. In nearsightedness, the person can see those objects clearly which are near to him but the far objects are blurry. When shes not working, Dr. Huang loves reviewing new skin care products, trying interesting food recipes, or hanging with her adopted cats. Page published on Thursday, 21 February, 2019. It would be entered on our website as below: Our online prescription form initially displays the most common format, Distance with a Near Add. Cylinder power is always written after sphere power in an eyeglass prescription. If the number appearing under this heading has a minus sign (-), you . To convert a multi-focal prescription for single vision reading glasses, simply combine the Add number and the Spherical number. What is CYL, AXIS and SPH? If your prescription indicates a CYL value, you must have a corresponding Axis value. What does 165 axis mean - One tool that can be used is What does 165 axis mean. Most values range from 0.00 to +/- 20.00 and go up in steps of 0.25. But don't worry, after reading this page you'll understand what all the details mean and you'll know how to read your glasses prescription correctly. It does not matter whether the correction is of farsightedness or nearsightedness; it is always in spherical form. ; values are usually entered with computer, but may be handwritten by doctor. On the off chance that the number showing up under this heading has a short sign . Worried about the wrong fit? Cylinder means the amount of lens power for astigmatism and shows the differences between the greatest and weakest powers of the eye. Now you know the ABCs and the ODs and OSs of your eyeglass prescription, so you can make sense of your eyeglass prescription. The axis is labeled as a number from 1 to 180. No, you cannot use your eyeglass prescription to buy contact lenses or vice versa because eyeglass lenses sit about 12 to 15 mm away from your eyes, whereas contact lenses are directly on your eyes. How to Read Your Prescription for Glasses. A minus (-) symbol next to this number means you're nearsighted, and a plus (+) symbol means the prescription is meant to correct farsightedness.