The ABCs of Understanding Your Vision Prescription

The ABCs of Understanding Your Vision Prescription

It’s easy to overlook the details when it comes to understanding your vision prescription. But knowing what those numbers and abbreviations on your prescription signify is essential to keeping your eyes healthy. In this article, we’ll delve into the ABCs of understanding your vision prescription to help you decipher what your prescription means.

What is a vision prescription?

A vision prescription is a document written by an optometrist or ophthalmologist that contains all the required information for correct lenses that will help you see clearly. The prescription contains measurements for each eye, and it is divided into several sections to describe different aspects of your vision.

Let’s have a look at the different sections of your vision prescription and what they mean:

Sphere (S)

The first number on your prescription indicates the sphere power. This is a measure of the degree of nearsightedness or farsightedness, represented by a positive or negative number.

For example, a positive number indicates farsightedness, which means you can see distant objects clearly but have trouble focusing on nearby objects. A negative number, on the other hand, indicates nearsightedness, which means you can see nearby objects clearly but have difficulty seeing objects that are far away.

Cylinder (C)

The cylinder power represents the amount of astigmatism, which is a condition that causes blurry vision. This power is also represented by a positive or negative number. If your cylinder power is zero, it means you don’t have astigmatism.

Axis (A)

The axis is a number that indicates the orientation of your cylinder power. It is measured in degrees, ranging from 0 to 180. If your cylinder power is zero, there will be no axis number.

Add

The add power is indicated by a positive number. It is added to your distance correction to help you see near objects clearly. If your prescription doesn’t have an add power, it means you don’t need reading glasses.

Interpreting your prescription

Now that you understand the different components of your vision prescription, let’s see how to interpret it.

For example, if your prescription reads -2.00 DS, it means you have mild to moderate nearsightedness in both eyes. If the prescription also reads +1.00 ADD, it means you need reading glasses to see up close.

If your prescription reads -2.00 -0.50 x 90, it means you have mild to moderate nearsightedness with astigmatism. The “x” followed by a number indicates the axis of the astigmatism, which in this example is 90 degrees.

Conclusion

Understanding your vision prescription is crucial to maintaining healthy eyes. By knowing how to read your prescription and what each number signifies, you can confidently communicate with your optometrist and get the correct lenses to help you see clearly. Remember to get regular eye exams to keep your vision healthy!

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