The axis indicates the angle (in degrees) between the two meridians of an astigmatic eye. 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. Cylinder is the indication of the lens power amount that is basically needed for the eyes disease named astigmatism (blurred vision). Different prescriptions and how to enter your values on our site. This number will appear as a decimal (0.5) or fraction (), followed by two letters indicating the base direction: There may be additional information written by your optometrist or ophthalmologist regarding your eye health. 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. For example: (+2.00) + (+2.25) = (+4.25). Melody Huang is an optometrist and freelance health writer. The term sphere refers to the fact that distance vision correction is spherical, or equal in all meridians of the eye. 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. The number under 'cylinder' provides the lens power needed to correct the astigmatism. On any prescription, PD can be written in different ways: e.g., 62 (Single PD), 33/31 (Dual PD), or 62/60 (Distance PD . Vision Center is funded by our readers. This just means the eye has difficulty focusing at certain angles. Please try again. What face shape best suits cat eye glasses? Worried about the wrong fit? Standard msg & data rates may apply. The size is not dangerous or bad, but the number associated with it (ex: Size: small, medium, large, extra-large etc.) How to Measure Your PD with A Regular Ruler. Base is the direction of a PRISM value and will only be supplied if the prescription has a PRISM value. Prism refers to the amount of prismatic power needed to correct eye alignment problems, measured in prism diopters. 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. On the eye prescription, there are minus and plus signs in the cylinder column. 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. If you are farsighted, you will see a plus sign(+) next to the Sphere number. (See Different ways in which a prescription can be displayed below). To convert a multi-focal prescription for single vision reading glasses, simply combine the Add number and the Spherical number. If the number is positive (+), it is correcting farsightedness. The number under the OD and OS measurement in your prescription is measured in diopters. EyeBuyDirect has a wide variety of budget frames starting at $6. Sphere, often written as SPH, means that the correction for nearsightedness or farsightedness is spherical, equal in all meridians of the eye. 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 cylinder is the indication of the condition, astigmatism, in which the cornea is shaped irregularly causing distorted or blurred vision. However, there are other parameters, such as CYL which means the astigmatism part and AX which means the axis position in the astigmatism. What does SPH mean for glasses? Cylinder means the amount of lens power for astigmatism and shows the differences between the greatest and weakest powers of the eye. 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. All transactions are secured with the latest SSL technology, verified by Amazon. This prescription is for the left eye, and -1.50 means that your nearsightedness is measured at 1 and 1/2 diopters. 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. This post will explain them one by one. If the number is negative (), it means it is correcting nearsightedness. Sphere, Cylinder, and Axis on Eye Prescriptions. GogglesNMore All Rights Reserved. The axis depicts the angle between two meridians. You may find a number listed which helps determine the amount of lens power that is needed to correct astigmatism. Most values range from 0.00 to +/- 20.00 and go up in steps of 0.25. Your optician may or may not write DS (Dioptres Sphere) in the CYL box. What does VD mean on eye prescription? By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. The minus sign and the plus sign next to the Cylinder numbers are also for nearsightedness and farsightedness. You should have a number under the CYL column too. Cyl = cylinder or the amount or power of the astigmatism correction. You can view our cookie policy here. A + in the box indicates that you are long-sighted which means you find it difficult to see things close to you. This is the most common format with clearly printed fields for OD, OS, SPH, CYL, etc. If you complete an eye exam and find your eyes needs have changed, you need to order a new prescription as soon as possible. VA, Visual Acuities - These values describe your vision (visual acuity) but are not needed to make your glasses. An AXIS will only be found on your prescription if there is a CYL value for the same eye. This number shows the angle of the lens that shouldnt feature a cylinder power to correct your astigmatism. When no correction for SPH is required the optician will write "Plano", "", "0.00" or just leave the space blank. Cylinder, abbreviated CYL, follows sphere power in your eyeglass prescription. A minus (-) symbol next to this number means youre nearsighted, and a plus (+) symbol means the prescription is meant to correct farsightedness. Only one meridian will be adjusted to fix your astigmatism. If you see a negative value (-) that means your child is nearsighted. Cylinder ( CYL) Cylinder indicates the amount of lens power for astigmatism. If the axis changes by more than 90, you need to consult an eye specialist. Most values range from +/- 0.25 to +/- 4.00 and will go up in steps of 0.25. But don't worry, after reading this page you'll understand what all the details mean and you'll know how to read your glasses prescription correctly. What does sphere cylinder and axis mean? This instructs the person making your glasses to use a lens of similar weight to balance out the frame. Near is the prescription to correct near vision and may appear in full, or as an additional power (ADD) to the distance. How to enter your glasses prescription online. Whats more, if an eyeglass prescription includes cylinder power, it also must include an Axis value, which follows the CYL power. Still dont know how to look for your perfect fit? You qualify for free shipping in the US! This correction is often used for reading, sewing and any detailed close work. 10 Signs You Need Glasses may be helpful. It is usually separated by 90 degrees. It will be a number between 1 and 180. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. The 20/20 vision is the correct vision for normal eyes. Spex4less and SPEX4LESS are registered trademarks of Fashion Specs Direct Limited. ", Sunglasses, Spectacle Frames, Spectacle Lens and Magnifying Spectacles.. This indicates the amount of lens power for astigmatism. If this column is blank, it means you have no astigmatism. 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. The axis is the orientation of the cylinder when looking at an eye. Analytics cookies are used to understand how you interact with our content. You're currently shopping our United States site. & Worries-free! SPH is a '+' or '-' value in 0.25 steps and is required to correct your nearsightedness (-) or farsightedness (+). 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 (+). If nothing appears in the Cylinder column, it indicates that you have no astigmatism, or your astigmatism is so light that there is no need to correct it with the eyeglass lenses. 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. In the horizontal meridian of the eyes, the number 180 is used. What does SPH mean for glasses? In astigmatism, the curvature of the eye is imperfect. SPH, or sphere, refers to the amount of correction needed for nearsightedness or farsightedness. or a superscript triangle when written freehand), prescribed to compensate for eye alignment problems. In the context of an eye prescription. The AXIS, in degrees, is a number between 0 and 180. Sphere: The sphere (SPH) on your prescription indicates the lens power you need to see clearly. 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. Older Post Optometrists measure SPH values in increments of 0.25 diopters, and when people talk about their prescription degree, they're usually talking about their sphere value. The information on this free-form prescription is usually handwritten. The numbers are from 1 to 180 in the axis part of the eye prescription. Prism is used to correct eye alignment issues and can be a metric or fraction value. The measurement is the Dioptre. 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. The higher the number on your prescription, the stronger your prescription is. to Fri (9am - 5pm) For example: "+2.25 ADD" or "Add +2.25". What If My Prescription Does Not Follow The Format on Your Website? Sphere (SPH) and Cylinder (CYL) always have a (+) or (-) sign. The BVD stands for Back Vertex Distance, this is a measurement that is included on any prescription where the sphere or cylinder powers are higher than + or - 5.00D and to a lesser extent some prescriptions where it is less than this power. Sphere: The sphere (SPH) on your prescription indicates the lens power you need to see clearly. 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.