What is pupillary distance (PD) and how do you measure it? Sphere, Cylinder, and Axis on Eye Prescriptions Sphere: The sphere (SPH) on your prescription indicates the lens power you need to see clearly. Cylinder means the amount of lens power for astigmatism and shows the differences between the greatest and weakest powers of the eye. In addition, you will see the initials OD and OS written on your eye prescription. Most values range from 0.00 to +/- 20.00 and go up in steps of 0.25. The number under the add column tells us the 2nd lens prescription needed for multifocal lenses. This measurement would be your ideal frame width that is the most necessary measurement. BVD- Back Vertex Distance is the distance required from the front of your eye (cornea) to the back surface of the corrective lens. However, if you have a CYL value, you must have a corresponding Axis value. The doctor wrote "SPH" in the Cylinder column. The CYL basically represents the main differences in the weakest as well as greatest eye powers which are usually separated by degrees (90). 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. The AXIS stands for Axis and SPH stands for Sphere. In SPH, plus sign is an indication of which condition? Base is the direction of a PRISM value and will only be supplied if the prescription has a PRISM value. 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. ADD, or addition, refers to the amount of magnifying power you would need in multifocal lenses to see closer objects, like a book. A multifocal prescription will include an ADD value, sometimes marked as NV. The second prescription shows the patients complete distance prescription for the right and left eye followed by a reading addition value of +2.25. The size is not dangerous or bad, but the number associated with it (ex: Size: small, medium, large, extra-large etc.) What does SPH mean for glasses? SPH, or sphere, refers to the amount of correction needed for nearsightedness or farsightedness. This is always a "+" value in 0.25 steps. In the context of an eye prescription, OD means right eye and OS means left eye. You can measure your current frame from screw to screw, which is already a perfect fit for you . Our entire range of mens prescription designer glasses. Sphere, also known as degree or power, is the amount of single vision correction you need. If youre looking for eyeglasses that can bend without breaking, look great and enhance your vision all at o My manafest refraction test was -50 -50 110 + 250, But my rx reads -50 sph axis +250. Cylinder power always follows Sphere power in an eyeglass prescription. How Do You Keep Your Glasses From Fogging Up With A Ski Mask? DS (Dioptres Sphere) means you only have a Sphere power. What face shape best suits cat eye glasses? In other words, because eyeglasses and contact lenses have different distances from your eyes, the amount of correctionneeded is also different. A cylinder forms a focus 90 degrees to its axis. Melody Huang is an optometrist and freelance health writer. If you require progressive lenses, your prescription willdisplay a value under the ADD (addition) column. It's considered a mild amount of nearsightedness. When the shape of the human eye cornea changes, the large changes in the measurement of the axis is seen though, this is rare. 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. The 20/20 vision is the correct vision for normal eyes. A minus (-) symbol next to this number means youre nearsighted, and a plus (+) symbol means the prescription is meant to correct farsightedness. See below to learn the meaning of SPH, CYL Axis, Prism, PD, and more. In the following picture, you can see an eye prescription. You should have a number under the CYL column too. A nearsighted prescription will feature a number with a minus (-) symbol in the sphere box. You may find a number listed which helps determine the amount of lens power that is needed to correct astigmatism. The AXIS, in degrees, is a number between 0 and 180. If the number appearing under this heading has a minus sign (-), you . 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. If nothing appears in your CYL column, you do not require astigmatism correction. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. What are blue-light-blocking glasses and how do they work? OSstands for oculus sinister, Latin for left eye.. What does "SPH" appearing under Cylinder on my prescription mean? The information on this free-form prescription is usually handwritten. Cylinder is the indication of the lens power amount that is basically needed for the eyes disease named astigmatism (blurred vision). The number 90 corresponds to the vertical meridian of the eye, and the number . Astigmatism relates to an issue in the curvature of yourcorneathat causes blurred distance and near vision, especially at night. On some rare occasions, you may find an AXIS value with a decimal place or fraction. This shows how much focal point power, estimated in diopters (D), endorsed to address myopia or farsightedness. (Some doctors will add "DS" for "diopters sphere;" others will leave this area blank.). What does 165 axis mean - One tool that can be used is What does 165 axis mean. A Prism is to try and correct a lazy eye and indicates a more delicate condition, this is included with a prescription to correct some special conditions or some eye disorders (like squints) that require the focussed image to move position. What is segment height and how do you measure it? Our entire range of prescription glasses for Women. Free Shipping Worldwide on Orders Over $69, Full Explanations: Sphere, Cylinder and Axis in Glasses. The values concerning the correction your right eye may be indicated as "RE", "Right", "Right Eye" or "OD" which is an abbreviation for Oculus Dexter, the Latin term for "Right Eye". Sphere, Cylinder, and Axis on Eye Prescriptions. 10 Signs You Need Glasses. If the human eye acuity is 20/200, this is called the bad eye axis and is considered the blind person. You should also find a row of values provided for "Distance" and for "Near". Though the use of these abbreviated Latin terms is traditional for prescriptions written for eyeglasses, contact lensesand eye medicines, some doctors and clinics have opted to modernize their prescriptions and use RE (right eye) and LE (left eye) instead of OD and OS. When you visit the opticians for an eye test you will receive a written copy of your prescription. A sphero-cylindrical prescription (an Rx) for one eye consists of 3 parts, all written from left to right: [+/-Sphere]. Pro Tip - Make sure to pay particular attention to whether the values are a + or -. The number marked 'axis' describes the orientation of astigmatism. E.g. EyeBuyDirect has a wide variety of budget frames starting at $6. This is the amount of prismatic power, measured in prism diopters ("p.d." If the PD/Pupillary Distance for the glasses is not set correctly then your eyes may have to strain to look through them, this can lead to headaches, eyestrain, visual distortion and in severe cases, double vision. CYL (or Cylinder) indicates you have a condition where the cornea and/or lens of the eye are irregularly shaped causing blurred vision, in other words, astigmatism. Through her writing, Dr. Huang enjoys educating patients on how to lead healthier and happier lives. ", Sunglasses, Spectacle Frames, Spectacle Lens and Magnifying Spectacles.. If the number is written, this is the indication of the usage of eye contact. By the end of this article, youll know exactly how to read your glasses prescription and what your prescription means. The Axis means the angle between the two meridians of an astigmatic eye. All rights reserved. They may also enter an abbreviation "DS" (Dioptre Spheres) or "SPH" (Sphere) indicating that the correction required is spherical only. The axis is always exactly 90 degrees away from the meridian, which contains all of the correcting lens power for 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. It tells the optician how to orient the lens so that the cylinder has no power at the axis location. If for any reason you are not satisfied with your order, we will replace or exchange your glasses/lenses. It is the amount of magnification required to "ADD" to the "SPH" value of your "Distance" prescription to correct your near vision. Or, are the sphere & axis values so small they can be dropped off? Warby Parker has stylish, high-quality frames at affordable prices. Our entire range of womens glasses suitable for varifocal lenses. The Sphere is also used to correct the nearsightedness or farsightedness. The "Distance" row contains the values required to correct your distance vision for the respective eye. Commonly, this number will be different for each eye. SPH is the abbreviation for the word sphere. The temple should be long enough to keep the frame securely in place without any pressure on your ears. Sphere (SPH) - The expression "sphere" means that the remedy for astigmatism or farsightedness is round, equivalent in all meridians of the eye. What does SPH DS mean? Well break down your prescription step-by-step. Get the latest updates on new products and upcoming sales, 2023 That means that you have no astigmatism to correct in that eye. This means that a person can see the object clearly at 20 feet. Social cookies allow you to utilize social media features. The sphere is the indication of how strong the lenses need to be in order to correct the vision. On any prescription, PD can be written in different ways: e.g., 62 (Single PD), 33/31 (Dual PD), or 62/60 (Distance PD . This measurement is important as it explains at what distance your lenses should sit from your eyes. It is measured with the unit diopters (D), indicating the lens power of the glasses. Older Post What Do The Values On Your Prescription Mean? There are two vision conditions, nearsightedness, and farsightedness. 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. For example: "+2.25 ADD" or "Add +2.25". The lens power amount is, therefore, measured in D (diopters) for farsightedness or nearsightedness. In SPH, the minus sign is the indication of nearsightedness (far away objects are blurred). BVD - Back Vertex Distance is the distance required from the front of your eye (cornea) to the back surface of the corrective lens. Each spectacle lens will have an optical centre, this is a point on the lens where it performs the best and has the least distortion. This figure is an indication of how much extra power is required on top of the distance prescription for near or intermediate glasses. This number always has a (+) sign. 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. The sphere power is the base power of a lens which is 360 degrees around the lens. This number always has a (+) sign. 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). Typically, youll see several abbreviations and words labeling all of the important data on your prescription. With eight years of experience in the world of content strategy and creation, Michael specializes in medical copywriting and advanced research methodologies. Most values range from +/- 0.25 to +/- 4.00 and will go up in steps of 0.25. Different ways a prescription can be displayed.Common abbreviations that appear on your prescription. 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. What do the values on your prescription mean? This indicates the amount of lens power, measured in diopters (D), prescribed to correct nearsightedness or farsightedness. When reading your glasses prescription you will find values under the headings of SPH, CYL, AXIS and sometimes PRISM & BASE. The Axis in your prescription is usually measured from 1 to 180. For example: SPH -3.25 CYL -1.25 AXIS 120. For multi-focal glasses, as well as reading and computer glasses, your Rx will include an ADD or NV value. Theplus (+) orminus (-) sign before SPH indicates whether you are nearsighted or farsighted. Please note you can also upload a copy of your prescription during checkout and our Optometrist will check it against what you have entered on your order and you will be notified if there are any discrepancies. What is CYL, AXIS and SPH? A number over 5 is generally considered to be on the stronger side. So what's an astigmatism? Can someone help me out here? Liingo Eyewear is another great option to buy glasses online. oBundle. It is measured with the unit diopters(D), indicating the lens power of the glasses.