We would be glad to help you out with this!

A typical prescription usually looks like this:

Or like this:

R -3.25 / -1.00 x 176

L -3.50 / -1.25 x 180

What do these letters mean?

O.D. = Right eye
O.S. = Left eye

SPH = Sphere. The sphere is the main part of your prescription. It indicates the strength of your myopia (nearsightedness) preceded by a minus sign (–) or hyperopia (farsightedness) preceded by a plus sign (+). If you see the infinity (∞) symbol, Pl or PL in the SPH column, it means you are neither nearsighted nor farsighted. Sometimes, the SPH number is written without the decimal point, and the plus and minus signs will be written above the number rather than in front of it. For example, -150 is the same as -1.50 and -25 is the same as -0.25.

CYL= Cylinder. The cylinder indicates whether or not you have astigmatism. If the CYL column is empty or indicates a DS or SPH, it means that you do not have astigmatism.

AXIS: The axis indicates the location of your astigmatism. If you have a CYL value, you must have an AXIS value. It will be between 1 and 180 degrees and should always be a whole number (no decimal point).

ADD: If you have a value in the ADD section, it indicates that you need progressive lenses. Please refer to the section “Do you sell bifocal, multifocal or progressive lenses?'' for more information.

PRISM: The prism section is usually left empty. If there is a value indicated, it means that you have a special prescription to correct a specific eye condition. Please note that all prescriptions with a prism can only be fulfilled in-store, after a consultation with one of our opticians by appointment. If you are unable to visit one of our locations, we recommend purchasing the frames only and consulting with your local eye care professional to have them fitted with lenses."