The number in the cylinder column may be preceded with a minus sign (for the correction of nearsighted astigmatism) or a plus sign (for farsighted astigmatism). The values range between 0 and 180 and may go up in steps of , 1, 5 or 10 degrees, we only show the AXIS to a whole number but if you have a degree on your prescription you can list this in the additional information box when ordering. This is why you need to go to a local optician, not buy online. We always recommend attaching a copy of your prescription to the order, or fax this through or email it separately, we will double check the prescription this end to ensure the correct lenses are produced. The axis value is often preceded by an x when written in freehand. Your eyeglass prescription also may have a column labeled "OU." The two rows refer to your right (OD) and left (OS) eyeswith the right eye always on the upper row. To convert a multi-focal prescription for single vision reading glasses, simply combine the Add number and the Spherical number. The doctor wrote "SPH" in the Cylinder column. Near is the prescription to correct near vision and may appear in full, or as an additional power (ADD) to the distance. Sphere (SPH) and Cylinder (CYL) always have a (+) or (-) sign. By continuing to shop we will assume you are happy to receive all cookies. For example, if the Add were +2.25 and the OD-Sph was -0.50, the new OD-Sph for reading glasses would be +1.75; if the Sph were +0.25, the new Sph would be +2.50. If the number is positive (+), it is correcting farsightedness. If you are due for new eyeglasses in Clermont, contact Pennachio Eye at 325-227-1999 . 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. OD is your right eye. 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". This is an important question because this is related to the eyes and gives answers related to different changes in the human eye. With our 14-Day Fit & Style Guarantee, you can request a refund or exchange a new pair, hassle-free! Below is a standard NHS prescription that has been written as two full lines of prescription: You can edit the form by clicking the link Need Help? SPH, or sphere, refers to the amount of correction needed for nearsightedness or farsightedness. It is the amount of magnification required to "ADD" to the "SPH" value of your "Distance" prescription to correct your near vision. If you dont know whether you need a pair of glasses, the post How to Know If You Need Glasses? Newer Post . In the context of an eye prescription. Swim Goggles Non-Rx: Giggly Goggles for Kids, All Swim Goggles Non-Rx: Giggly Goggles for Kids, Anti Blue Light Glasses / Blue Block Glasses, Replacement Parts & Accessories| Rec Specs, Prescription Ski Goggles Inserts and Ski Goggles, Partnerships with Ophthalmologists / Optometrists / Eye Health Professionals. CYL is the amount of astigmatism correction you need, and Axis determines the lens angle required to correct your astigmatism. Inter, Inter Add, Int Add, Int, Intermediate Addition- These all relate to your intermediate addition and are used to make glasses for intermediate distance use. Spectacle-related eye injuries, spectacle-impact performance and eye protection. These are the abbreviations that denote to Oculus Dexter and oculus sinister in Latin and mean left eye and right eye. It's considered a mild amount of nearsightedness. Well break down your prescription step-by-step. Copyright 2022 VisionCenter.org. How to Measure Your PD with A Regular Ruler. During an eye exam, your doctor will determine whether you need vision correction. A nearsighted prescription will feature a number with a minus (-) symbol in the sphere box. They can also be written anywhere on the prescription. Sphere is basically a measure of how strong your prescription needs to be. The Pupillary distance is an essential measurement. Your eyeglass prescription contains other terms and abbreviations as well. Our entire range of womens glasses suitable for varifocal lenses. If your SPH value is -1.00, you are nearsighted. COPYRIGHT document.write(new Date().getFullYear()); ZENNI OPTICAL , INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Clicking 'I have TWO complete rows of figures on my prescription" will open up new option boxes for you to open your prescription. Only one meridian will be adjusted to fix your astigmatism. The BASE value will be displayed as BU or UP (Base UP), BD or DOWN (Base DOWN), BI or IN (Base IN) or BO or OUT (Base OUT). A positive value, or a prescription with a plus-sign (+), means that your child is farsighted. DS (Dioptres Sphere) means you only have a Sphere power. On the eye prescription, CYL represents the cylinder correction part whether there is astigmatism or not. This correction is often used for driving, television and general wear (walking around). When reading your glasses prescription you will find values under the headings of SPH, CYL, AXIS and sometimes ADD, PRISM & BASESPH (Sphere)SPH is a + or - value in 0.25 steps and is required to correct your nearsightedness (-) or farsightedness (+). Get news, offers and hand-drawn stickers by Mila, our co-founder Shing's daughter! In SPH, plus sign is an indication of which condition? Page published on Thursday, 21 February, 2019. You'll notice the CYL and AXIS values are the same for both distance and near. The axis is labeled as a number from 1 to 180. This shows how much focal point power, estimated in diopters (D), endorsed to address myopia or farsightedness. There are occasions where your optician will write out your complete "Distance" prescription followed by your complete "Near" prescription. The 20/20 vision is the correct vision for normal eyes. The base value will show either in or out, or up and down, indicating the direction the prism should be angled. Sometimes opticians use the word 'Add' or 'Near' instead of 'addition'. You should have a number under the CYL column too. This means your lenses will be shaped to improve your distance vision. The measurement is the Dioptre, and most values range from +0.50 to +3.50 and will go up in steps of 0.25. OD and OS are abbreviations of the Latin words oculus dexter and oculus sinister, respectively. Sphere (SPH) and Cylinder (CYL) always have a (+) or (-) sign. What does Axis mean for glasses? Cylinder, abbreviated CYL, follows sphere power in your eyeglass prescription. If this column is blank, it means you have no astigmatism. Youll typically find the abbreviates OD and OS on the left side of your prescription. What does that mean. That is to say, the OD means the right eye and OS means the left eye. BO=Base Out, BI=Base In, BU=Base Up, and BD (or BDn)=Base Down. If nothing appears in your CYL column, you do not require astigmatism correction. For multi-focal glasses, as well as reading and computer glasses, your Rx will include an ADD or NV value. What are blue-light-blocking glasses and how do they work? OD is short for the Latin term oculus dexter which means right eye. Your prescription will usually contain the following: Your optometrist or ophthalmologist will perform an eye examination to determine these values. What is pupillary distance (PD) and how do you measure it? As you can see in the first example (Standard GOS 2 Glasses Prescription) the optician has listed the patient's complete distance prescription on the top row and the complete near prescription in the bottom row. This is especially handy as you can copy the values without having to make any calculations yourself. If the human eye acuity is 20/200, this is called the bad eye axis and is considered the blind person. In the eye prescription, there are some important elements you need to know including Sphere, Cylinder, and Axis. In some cases, the optician may write what appears to be a slash above the figure to indicate a "-" value.When no correction for SPH is required the optician will write "Plano", "", "0.00" or just leave the space blank. What is segment height and how do you measure it? Analytics cookies are used to understand how you interact with our content. AXISAn AXIS will only be found on your prescription if there is a CYL value for the same eye. The optical centre of each lens should be placed directly in front of the centre of each of your pupils. On any prescription, PD can be written in different ways: e.g., 62 (Single PD), 33/31 (Dual PD), or 62/60 (Distance PD/Near PD). If the SPH value is 0.00, or noted by Plano, Pl, or an infinity sign, you do not have a vision distance problem. Full Explanations: Sphere, Cylinder, and Axis Superlite titanium rimless collection The SuperLite Titanium rimless series is provided by super Warby Parker WARBY PARKER, one of the most popular eyewear brands in the United States, set up it What Are Progressive Lenses? The measurement is Prism Dioptre. The interesting fact is that if the prescription of eyeglass includes the main cylinder power, it is important to include the axis value along with it so that it follows the power of CYL. The "ADD" value applies to both eyes and can sometimes be written only once on the prescription, even though the addition is required for both eyes. Sphere, sometimes abbreviated as SPH, indicates the amount of lens power needed to correct nearsightedness or farsightedness. It tells the optician how to orient the lens so that the cylinder has no power at the axis location. SPH stands for spherical power and describes the degree of nearsightedness or farsightedness. Cylinder ( CYL) Cylinder indicates the amount of lens power for astigmatism. "How to Read Your Eyeglass Prescription. ODstands for oculus dexter, the Latin term for right eye., OS is your left eye. If you require progressive lenses, your prescription willdisplay a value under the ADD (addition) column. If you are nearsighted, you will see there is a minus sign(-) next to the Sphere number. . Different ways a prescription can be displayed.Common abbreviations that appear on your prescription. Plano, Infinity, 0.00, - Basically 0.00 or no correction is required for that part of the prescription. This number always has a (+) sign. 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. Cylinder: The cylinder (CYL) number indicates the . Keep your prescription up to date so these numbers can accurately reflect your visual needs. Our entire range of womens prescription designer glasses. On your eyeglasses prescription, the information for your right eye (OD) comes before the information for your left eye (OS). Conversely, if your prescription does not display a CYL value, you do not need an Axis value. | Children should have their first eye exam when they are around six months old, and then another just before they start school. This means that the eyeball is spherical and has no oblongedness, and consequently has no Cylinder or Axis values. Sphere means the spherical correction where the meridians of the human eye are equal. 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. How Do You Keep Your Glasses From Fogging Up With A Ski Mask? If there is no number written under the CYL part, this means you are free from astigmatism and need no eye contact. Traditional eyeglasses are usually single vision lenses with one pre Metal frames are suitable for wearing. You have used an email and/or password that does not match our records. What is the difference between polarized and non-polarized lenses? Like SPH and CYL, optometrists measure ADD in increments of 0.25 diopters. If your prescription includes a BVD, it is important that the lenses sit at the correct distance to ensure comfortable vision. If a prescription includes cylinder power, it must be followed by an axis. A minus (-) symbol next to this number means you're nearsighted, and a plus (+) symbol means the prescription is meant to correct farsightedness. When the shape of the human eye cornea changes, the large changes in the measurement of the axis is seen though, this is rare. Download Our Mobile App for Faster Checkout. It is used to correctly orientate the cylinder correction when making your glasses. Axis: An axis number will also be included if you have an astigmatism. What does SPH mean for glasses? This indicates the required strength for the near prescription in your lens. Cylinder: The cylinder (CYL) number indicates the lens power needed to correct astigmatism. Spex4less and SPEX4LESS are registered trademarks of Fashion Specs Direct Limited. But keep in mind, all eyewear is different, so its just a general reference. This number always has a (+) sign. Axis is the angle in which the cylinder correction should be. The term sphere refers to the fact that distance vision correction is spherical, or equal in all meridians of the eye. 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. Did you get confused? It is used to correctly orientate the cylinder correction when making your glasses. ADD, or addition, refers to the amount of magnifying power you would need in multifocal lenses to see closer objects, like a book. 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. It is measured in diopters, the unit of measurement for the lens's refractive (light-bending) power. This article will help you decipher all parts of your prescription and discuss it knowledgeably with an optician or when you buy eyeglasses online. Sphere means the spherical correction where the meridians of the human eye are equal. Most reputable online suppliers like Spex4Less will offer a variety of forms for you to enter your prescription details in to. ", Sunglasses, Spectacle Frames, Spectacle Lens and Magnifying Spectacles.. At first glance, the details may seem quite confusing. It will be a number between 1 and 180. The number under 'cylinder' provides the lens power needed to correct the astigmatism. Warby Parker has stylish, high-quality frames at affordable prices. Add, Near Add, Reading Addition- These all relate to your reading addition and can be written anywhere on the prescription. It is the distance from the centre of one pupil to the centre of the other pupil measured in mm (ranges from 50 to 70mm). The PRISM value will also be followed by a directional value (see BASE below). Balance - No values are required. Your prescription may have a base column, or it may be included in the same column as prism this gives further information about the required prism correction, telling us the orientation needed in the lens. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. If you cant make sense of your eyeglass prescription, youre not alone. The Add, short for Reading Addition, is the additional correction required for reading, this can be used to make either reading glasses, bifocal glasses or Varifocal glasses. Typical SPH numbers range between 0.00 and +/- 20.00. SPH is a '+' or '-' value in 0.25 steps and is required to correct your nearsightedness (-) or farsightedness (+). What is a contact lens eye exam and fitting? How can I stop my glasses from slipping down my nose? 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. Do a "deep search" instead. A + in the box indicates that you are long-sighted which means you find it difficult to see things close to you. The 'addition' is only required if the glasses are going to be used for reading or close work. The axis is defined with a number from 1 to 180. Learn about LASIK success rates and side effects, Learn about the costs associated with LASIK, Benefits of LASIK for astigmatism correction, How to find vision insurance that covers LASIK, Compare PRK and LASIK procedures and results, 14 tips for protecting your vision after LASIK. The axis depicts the angle between two meridians. If you need a pair of glasses, the KoalaeyeOptical may be a good choice for you. Generally, it will range from +0.75 to +3.00 D and will be the same power for both eyes. What are the different types of contact lenses? This number is followed by the base direction, or thickest edge, of the prism. Axis - If an eyeglass prescription includes cylinder power, it also must include an axis value, which follows the CYL power. Liingo Eyewear is another great option to buy glasses online. The number marked axis describes the orientation of astigmatism. The minus sign and the plus sign next to the Cylinder numbers are also for nearsightedness and farsightedness. If the number appearing under this heading has a minus sign (), you are nearsighted; if the number has a plus sign (+) or is not preceded by a plus sign or a minus sign, you are farsighted. They may also enter an abbreviation "DS" (Dioptre Spheres). For example: (+2.00) + (+2.25) = (+4.25). 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? The cylinder is the indication of the condition, astigmatism, in which the cornea is shaped irregularly causing distorted or blurred vision. The Axis in your prescription is usually measured from 1 to 180. This means that a person can see the object clearly at 20 feet. Pupillary distance explained: how to measure PD. Find an eyewear shop nearby or online to pick your lenses and frames. Sphere (SPH) and Cylinder (CYL) always have a (+) or (-) sign. A number with a minus symbol before it means you are nearsighted, and a number with a plus symbol, or no symbol, means you are farsighted. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. A minus (-) symbol next to this number means youre nearsighted, and a plus (+) symbol means the prescription is meant to correct farsightedness. It is not a condition, or disease. 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. Most values range from +/- 0.25 to +/- 4.00 and will go up in steps of 0.25. Common abbreviations that appear on your prescription. I promise not to get in a petty snit. Best Place to Buy Contacts: 1800 Contacts. Sphere, often written as SPH, means that the correction for nearsightedness or farsightedness is spherical, equal in all meridians of the eye. The number 90 corresponds to the vertical meridian of the eye, and the number 180 corresponds to the horizontal meridian. What is SPH in a Glasses Prescription? These glasses are often worn full time. It indicates the amount of lens power needed to correct astigmatism, measured in diopters. On the prescription of eyeglasses, the cylinder typically follows the sphere power. BVD - Back Vertex Distance is the distance required from the front of your eye (cornea) to the back surface of the corrective lens. Medically Reviewed by Dr. Melody Huang, O.D. These links allow you to toggle the form so that it appears the same as the hard copy of your prescription, some common examples are shown below. The number 90 corresponds to the vertical meridian of the eye, and the number . If you have an astigmatism, you will have a number in the cylinder column of your prescription that indicates the lens power needed to correct the astigmatism. Spex4Less, Everite House,Carr Lane, Hoylake,Wirral, CH47 4BG. Cylinder axes range from 0 to 180, and are based on a hemispheric protractor. All About Vision and AllAboutVision.com are registered trademarks of AAV Media, LLC. This is always "+" value in 0.25 steps. This post will explain them one by one. Notable terms include: Sphere (SPH) - The term "sphere" means that the correction for nearsightedness or farsightedness is spherical, equal in all meridians of the eye. | The sphere is measured in Dioptres, 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. If the glasses help to improve the vision, then the person is not legally blind. SMILE eye surgery: Small Incision Lenticule Extraction, PRK laser eye surgery: How it differs from LASIK, LASIK surgery: A complete guide for what to expect, How to choose the right glasses for face shape, Glasses size measurements: A guide to eyeglasses frame size. Diopter is the measurement used for the strength of eyeglass lenses. The left eye (OS) is being prescribed -1.00 D sphere for myopia plus -0.50 D cylinder for the correction of astigmatism. The cylinder is the amount of power change from the sphere in one meridian. The store will not work correctly in the case when cookies are disabled. 2000-2023 AAV Media, LLC. When you hold the prescription, have you ever been curious to know what the number and letters mean for your eyesight? Pro Tip - Make sure to pay particular attention to whether the values are a + or -. If the number appearing under this heading has a minus sign (-), you . Sphere: The sphere (SPH) on your prescription indicates the lens power you need to see clearly. If you see the "sph" in the "cyl" box . It usually occurs along with near or farsightedness. VA, Visual Acuities - These values describe your vision (visual acuity) but are not needed to make your glasses. Your optician may or may not write DS (Dioptres Sphere) in the CYL box. In this case, the eye doctor has prescribed -2.00 D sphere for the correction of myopia in the right eye (OD). Can someone help me out here? Some eyeglass prescriptions may require a PD (pupillary distance) measurement. The Axis means the angle between the two meridians of an astigmatic eye. Axis refers to the lens meridian with no cylindrical power to correct astigmatism. Let's use an example to understand things better. Knowing how to read an eyeglass prescription is essential! For example: SPH -3.25 CYL -1.25 AXIS 120. Prism refers to the amount of prismatic power needed to correct eye alignment problems, measured in prism diopters. 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. When no correction for SPH is required the optician will write "Plano", "", "0.00" or just leave the space blank. This is the most common format with clearly printed fields for OD, OS, SPH, CYL, etc. Eyeglass prescriptions may have several components, including sphere, cylinder, and axis. 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. If you are still unsure about entering your prescription details when ordering glasses online, make sure that you choose a supplier that offers an "Upload" or "Send Later" option. or a superscript triangle when written freehand), prescribed to compensate for eye alignment problems. A sphero-cylindrical prescription (an Rx) for one eye consists of 3 parts, all written from left to right: [+/-Sphere]. & Worries-free! This is the abbreviation for the Latin termoculus uterque, which means "both eyes.". Those individuals having 1.5 or more diopters will definitely need to use eyeglasses in order to correct the vision. Cylinder (CYL) Cylinder indicates the amount of lens power needed for astigmatism. When you hold the prescription, have you ever been curious to know what the number and letters mean for your eyesight? Sphere, also known as degree or power, is the amount of single vision correction you need. Cyl = cylinder or the amount or power of the astigmatism correction. By subscribing to Eyebuydirect text messaging on 81096, you agree to receive recurring autodialed marketing text msgs to the mobile number used at opt-in. This is the amount of prismatic power, measured in prism diopters ("p.d." Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Accessibility Statement. On some rare occasions, you may find an AXIS value with a decimal place or fraction. Prism powers will always be accompanied with a direction which is usually seen as a base diresction such as IN, OUT, UP and DOWN; for example; Prism 2.00 Base IN. This measurement is important as it explains at what distance your lenses should sit from your eyes. You may also have a column labeled OU, which means oculus uterque, or both eyes. The lens power amount is, therefore, measured in D (diopters) for farsightedness or nearsightedness. What face shape best suits browline glasses? OS is an abbreviation of the Latin oculus sinister which means left eye. The images below show some possible layouts of different prescriptions and how they would be entered on our website. If your prescription indicates a CYL value, you must have a corresponding Axis value. On the other hand, in the farsightedness, the person can see those objects clearly which are far but near object seems blurry. Our friendly customer service team are on hand to help Monday to Friday 9 am-5 pm and Saturdays 9 am-12 pm. The number appearing in this section of the prescription is always a "plus" power, even if it is not preceded by a plus sign. The number marked 'axis' describes the orientation of astigmatism. If you complete an eye exam and find your eyes needs have changed, you need to order a new prescription as soon as possible. Now you know the ABCs and the ODs and OSs of your eyeglass prescription, so you can make sense of your eyeglass prescription. If you have an astigmatism, you will find a "+" or "-" value in this box. Single vision lenses vs progressive lenses. Sphere (SPH) - The expression "sphere" means that the remedy for astigmatism or farsightedness is round, equivalent in all meridians of the eye. What the values on your prescription mean. What does sphere cylinder and axis mean? Do not worry about entering your prescription details online. Melody Huang is an optometrist and freelance health writer. This indicates the amount of lens power for astigmatism. It does not matter whether the correction is of farsightedness or nearsightedness; it is always in spherical form. 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. 10 Signs You Need Glasses. Specific parts of Rx: To expand on dr. Proffitt's answer, sph = sphere; if this is a negative number, the prescription is a myopic or nearsighted prescription and a positive number dictates a farsighted or hyperopic prescription. Most values range from 0.00 to +/- 20.00 and go up in steps of 0.25. : r/glasses. If you have an astigmatism, indicated by an axis and cylinder number on your prescription, it means that the front of your eye is irregularly shaped. What if my prescription does not follow the format on your website? This indicates the amount of lens power, measured in diopters (D), prescribed to correct nearsightedness or farsightedness. The CYL basically represents the main differences in the weakest as well as greatest eye powers which are usually separated by degrees (90). ADD. ADD is always a positive number and ranges from +0.75 to +3.00 for most people. If you suffer from astigmatism, your prescription will indicate values for CYL and Axis. Astigmatism correction is not spherical. In the context of an eye prescription, OD means right eye and OS means left eye. Here at Spex4Less, you will find both of these options directly above the prescription form. How to Measure your PD(Pupillary Distance), Choosing the Best Frames for Progressives, How to Replace Lenses in a Full-Rim Frame, How to Replace Lenses in a Half-Rim Frame. Sphere, Cylinder, and Axis on Eye Prescriptions Sphere: The sphere (SPH) on your prescription indicates the lens power you need to see clearly. It is the amount of magnification required to "ADD" to the "SPH" value of your "Distance" prescription to correct your near vision. Notable terms include: Sphere (SPH) - The term "sphere" means that the correction for nearsightedness or farsightedness is spherical, equal in all meridians of the eye.