Sphere (SPH)
Sphere indicates the strength of the lens needed to correct your vision. It is measured in diopters (D).
You are short-sighted (myopic) and need help seeing distant objects clearly.
You are long-sighted (hyperopic) and need help focusing on nearby objects.
Cylinder (CYL)
Cylinder is used when correcting astigmatism, which occurs when the eye is not perfectly round. If your prescription includes a cylinder value, it means your lenses must correct this irregular curvature of the eye.
If the CYL box on your prescription is blank, it means no astigmatism correction is required.
Axis
Axis works together with the cylinder value to correct astigmatism. It is measured in degrees from 1 to 180 and indicates the orientation of the correction needed.
Axis ranges from 1° to 180° — shown here at 90°
Pupillary Distance (PD)
Pupillary Distance is the distance between the centres of your pupils, measured in millimetres. This measurement ensures your lenses are correctly aligned with your eyes for clear and comfortable vision.
If your PD is not listed on your prescription, you may measure it yourself or ask your optician for this information.
Example Prescription
Below is an example of what a typical prescription might look like. This tells us the exact lens strength required for each eye.
| Eye | SPH | CYL | Axis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right (OD) | −2.00 | −1.00 | 90 |
| Left (OS) | −1.75 | −0.75 | 85 |
SPH
Lens power for each eye
CYL
Astigmatism correction
AXIS
Direction of astigmatism
Important
Your prescription should normally be no more than 24 months old. Regular eye examinations are important for maintaining healthy vision and ensuring your prescription remains accurate.
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