Optical prescriptions can be confusing! It is important to know that a contact lens prescription is different from your glasses prescription. Your optometrist will prescribe a contact lens product that suits both your vision needs and the physical nature of your eyes. It is important that you have an up-to-date prescription from your optometrist, and that you only purchase the lenses that have been prescribed for your eyes.
On your contact lens prescription, you will see there is likely a product/brand and parameters. Most prescriptions for contact lenses will show the parameters for left and right eye as OS and OD:
OD – right eye parameters
OS – left eye parameters
All contact lenses will include the following parameters, some of which may have only one option, others may have multiple to choose from when you order.
- PRODUCT - this could be Acuvue Moist Disposable Daily Lenses, Biofinity monthly lenses, Dailies Total1 disposable lenses etc
- Sphere or Power – this is the actual strength of the contact lens. This is often different from your glasses prescription as the contact lens sits right on your eye.
- BC – Base Curve – this is the shape or curvature of the contact lens.
- DIA – Diameter – this is the diameter across the middle of the contact lens, which is measured to ensure it covers your cornea correctly
For multifocal lenses (for presbyopia) and toric lenses (for astigmatism), there are additional parameters which you will find on your prescription:
- CYL – Cylinder – this number will be shown if you have an astigmatism
- AXIS – Axis – this number indicates the measurement on the contact lens which is required to correc an astigmatism
- ADD Type – this is usually shown as High, Medium, Low (or H, M, L)
- ADD Power– Addition – this is an additional power that needs to be added to the sphere for multifocal lenses
When ordering contact lenses at www.optometristwarehouse.com.au, you can find the product that is referenced on your prescription by searching by name, type (disposable, toric, multifocal) or frequency, and then choose the parameters that match your prescription:
Got questions? Talk to our customer service team on 1300 013 339 or email customerservice@optometristwarehouse.com.au. If you need a contact lens prescription, book an appointment with one of our optometrists.
