Your glasses prescription explained

Are you one of the millions of people who wear eyeglasses? 

If so, you are already familiar with an eyeglass prescription.  

After you test your vision, your Optician will give you a written eyeglass prescription. 

It is something that will look like this :

Your eyeglass prescription tells you how your eyeglass lenses need to be made. 

Once you understand what each letter and number in this means, 

It will be easy for you to read your own prescription! 

So, here’s what your prescription really means 

Sphere (SPH) 

If you have a + sign in your prescription it means that you are longsighted  

You have difficulty seeing things that are close by. 

If you have a – sign in your prescription, it means that you are shortsighted – you have difficulty seeing things that are far. 

 If you have a small number like 0.25 it means that your prescription is small. But if your number is big like 6.00 it means that you have a high-power prescription. The higher the number is, the thicker your lens will get.  

Cylinder (CYL) 

The amount of astigmatism (visual distortion) that is caused by an irregularly shaped cornea. 

If the box in CYL is empty, it means that you don’t have astigmatism. 

A low number like 0.25 means that your eyes are not that round. 

But a high number like 3.00 means that your eyes are oval. 

Axis 

The Axis shows the direction of your astigmatism. 

This is more for the technician to know how to position your lenses 

PRISM 

This indicates that your eyes do not work as a pair. 

 Prism lenses will provide you with the correction that you need to prevent double vision or headaches. 

BASE 

The Base tells the lab where to put the prism in your glasses. 

Now you can read your own eyeglass prescription! 

Get the best eyeglass prescription that suits your lifestyle

It is important to test your eyes with a certified eye care professional 

We at Wickramarachchi Opticians are bound to provide you with eye testing that’s accurate with the latest technology and equipment 

We can help you find the best prescription for your lifestyle! 

Visit us now! 

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