Prescription Eye Glasses:

 

Understanding Your Eye Prescription

Prescription eye glasses are a common solution for people with vision problems. After a comprehensive eye exam with a refraction, your eye doctor will provide you with a prescription that contains a series of numbers and abbreviations. But what do these numbers and abbreviations mean? In this article, we will go over how to interpret your eye glasses prescription so that you can better understand your vision needs.

What is an Eye Glasses Prescription?

An eye glasses prescription is a written order from your eye doctor that specifies the type of lenses you need to correct your vision. It contains a series of numbers and abbreviations that describe your vision needs. The prescription is typically written in a specific format that includes the following information:

• Your name and the date of the exam
• The type of lenses you need (single vision, bifocal, or progressive)
• The strength of the lenses you need (measured in diopters)
• The pupillary distance (PD), which is the distance between your pupils
• The expiration date of the prescription

How to Interpret Your Eye Glasses Prescription

When you receive your eye glasses prescription, you may be confused by the series of numbers and abbreviations. Here is a breakdown of what each of these means:

• OD: This stands for “ocular dexter,” which is Latin for “right eye.” The number next to OD indicates the strength of the lens you need for your right eye.
• OS: This stands for “ocular sinister,” which is Latin for “left eye.” The number next to OS indicates the strength of the lens you need for your left eye.
• OU: OU stands for “oculus uterque” (both eyes)
• Sphere (SPH): This number indicates the strength of the lens you need to correct nearsightedness or farsightedness. A negative number indicates nearsightedness, while a positive number indicates farsightedness.
• Cylinder (CYL): This number indicates the strength of the lens you need to correct astigmatism. Astigmatism occurs when the cornea is shaped more like a football than a basketball, causing blurry vision. If you have astigmatism, you will have a CYL number on your prescription.
• Axis: This number indicates the orientation of the CYL lens needed to correct astigmatism. It is measured in degrees from 0 to 180.
• Add: This number indicates the strength of the lens you need for reading glasses if you have presbyopia, which is a condition that occurs as you age and makes it difficult to focus on close objects.
• Prism: This number indicates the amount of prism correction needed to correct double vision caused by eye muscle imbalances.
• Base: This number indicates the orientation of the prism correction needed to correct double vision.

It is important to note that not all prescriptions will include all of these numbers and abbreviations. Your prescription will only include the information that is relevant to your vision needs.Why is it Important to Understand Your Eye Glasses Prescription?Understanding your eye glasses prescription is important because it allows you to make informed decisions about your eye care. With this knowledge, you can shop for glasses online or in-store and ensure that you are getting the correct lenses for your vision needs. It also allows you to monitor changes in your vision over time and make adjustments to your prescription as needed.In addition, it is important to know that you have the right to request your prescription from your eye doctor.

The Federal Trade Commission enforces the Eyeglass Rule, which requires eye doctors to give patients a copy of their prescription, whether they ask for it or not. This allows you to shop around for the best prices on glasses and ensures that you have access to your vision information.

Conclusion Prescription eye glasses are a common solution for people with vision problems. Understanding your eye glasses prescription is important because it allows you to make informed decisions about your eye care. By knowing what each of the numbers and abbreviations on your prescription means, you can ensure that you are getting the correct lenses for your vision needs. Remember that you have the right to request your prescription from your eye doctor, and that understanding your prescription is an important part of maintaining your eye health.