To some people, they might find their eyeglass prescription confusing due to the numbers and abbreviated terms, especially if it’s their first time getting one. What do these numbers and terms mean and how do they relate to your eyesight? In this post, Perception Eyecare + Eyewear, the leading eye care specialist, shares the essential things you need to know about your eyeglass prescription.
Basic Details of Your Eyeglass Prescription
The first things you’ll see on your eyeglass prescription are “OS” and “OD” which stands for oculus sinister (left eye) and oculus dexter (right eye). Occasionally, you might spot “OC” which stands for oculus uterque, or both eyes. However, some doctors have simplified it and made modern prescriptions labeled as “RE” for the right eye and “LE” for left eye instead.
Here are other important details you’ll spot for your eyeglass prescription:
- Sphere (SPH). This indicates the lens power and comes with a minus (-) sign for nearsightedness or a (+) sign for farsightedness.
- Cylinder (CYL). This indicates the lens power used to treat astigmatism.
- Add. This parameter indicates the added magnifying power for the bottom part of multifocal lenses.
- Axis. This indicates that the lens meridian has no cylinder power to correct astigmatism.
- Prism. This describes the amount of prismatic power to treat eye alignment problems.
How Different Is It From Contact Lens Prescription?
emember that eyeglass prescriptions are different from contact lens prescriptions. This is because eyeglass prescriptions do not specify the base curve of the rear surface of a contact lens along with the lens diameter. This kind of data can only be obtained during a contact lens consultation. More importantly, eyeglass prescriptions are based on the assumption that eyeglasses are placed within a certain distance from the eyes, while contacts are directly placed on the cornea.
If you’re looking for an eye doctor you can trust, then you’ve come to the right place. Perception Eyecare + Eyewear is the leading eye clinic that offers comprehensive eye exams, custom contact lenses, and specialized treatments for various eye conditions in Richardson, TX. Call us at (972) 945-9629 or fill out our contact form to set up an appointment.