Lens Prescription information

We'll call your doctor for you!

If you don't know your contact lens prescription, but you know your doctor's name and phone number, then we'll call your eye doctor to confirm your prescription. Just leave the prescription information blank and be sure to provide us with your doctor's information when you place your order so we can call to confirm the prescription.

Please note that some offices require us to know the patient's date of birth and name, so be sure to include that information as well in the appropriate fields. Prescription verification can delay your order by a day or two if your doctor's office is not available on the first call.

Here is a typical contact lens prescription:

Eye	PW	CYL	AX	BC	DIA	Brand
OD (Right)	-2.25	-2.50	90	8.9	14.5	Focus Toric
OS (Left)	-3.00	-1.50	160	8.9	14.5	Focus Toric

Here are the definitions of the symbols used:

• PWR/SPH - Power or Sphere (Strength of Correction)
• CYL - Cylinder (Correction for Astigmatism)
• AX - Axis (Position of Astigmatism)
• BC - Base Curve (Curvature of the Lens)
• DIA - Diameter (Diameter of the Lens)
• Brand - Refers to the contact lens prescribed
• OD - Right Eye Prescription
• OS - Left Eye Prescription
• OU - Prescription is for both eyes

 

1.    A contact lens prescription is not the same as an eyeglass prescription. In addition to the lens power, your contact lens prescription contains several other pieces of information related to the size of the lens.

2.   Your prescription will also contain an expiration date. This is typically two years from the date that the contact lenses were fitted.

3.   BC values range from about 8.0 to 9.5. The doctor fits the lens with the curvature most appropriate for your eye. Most lenses come in several different BC values. If your prescription does not contain a BC value, this is likely because your brand of lens only comes in one base curve.

4.   BC values are a bit like clothes sizes - just because you are a BC 8.6 in one brand doesn't mean you will be in another.

5.   If you wear a toric lens your prescription will contain two additional columns entitled cylinder and axis. These numbers are related to the correction of your astigmatism.

6.   Even the power of the lenses is generally not the same as in your eyeglass prescription. This is because:

1.    The contact lens sits on the surface of your eye, while your eyeglasses sit about 12 mm in front of your eye

2.   Regular soft contacts do not correct for your astigmatism, but your eye doctor will typically try to partially correct for it by changing the power of the lens.