How do I interpret my prescription?
How do I interpret my prescription?
It’s a question we’re asked from time to time. On this page, we’ll try to explain what the various abbreviations stand for and what they mean.
Your spectacle prescription contains all the details you need to order a pair of spectacles. You can obtain your prescription from the optician where you last had an eye test, and the prescription should not be more than a year old.
Abbreviations are sometimes used, and some prescriptions specify certain values for both eyes. Below, we explain what each value refers to and what you may need to bear in mind.
If you’re unsure, you can attach a photo of your glasses prescription, and during the shop’s opening hours there are always several opticians on hand who can help answer any questions you may have.
Please call or email us. We’re here for you!
08-642 23 22 or info@hultinsoptik.se
How do I read my prescription (glasses) and what do the abbreviations mean?
Sphere (Sf)
The sphere value is the first value you enter. This value indicates the strength of the lenses and whether you are short-sighted or long-sighted. For short-sightedness, there is always a minus sign in front, and for long-sightedness, a plus sign. If there is no sign in front, it is considered to be plus.
Cylinder (Cyl)
The cylinder, together with the axis, describes your refractive error. This value is only relevant if you have astigmatism (a refractive error). If you do not have a value here, simply enter ‘0’ in your order so that you can add the lenses to your basket.
Axel (Ax)
If you have astigmatism (a refractive error) and have entered a value for the cylinder, you must always enter a value for the axis. The axis value is given in degrees from 0 to 180 and describes the direction of the cylinder. This is how your astigmatism is corrected. If you do not have a value for this, simply enter ‘0’ in your order to add the lenses to your basket.
Pd
The Pd value stands for the pupillary distance and is the distance between the centre of the pupil and the centre of the nose (the measurement between your eyes). Two separate values are usually given (approx. 25–40 mm), one for the right and one for the left. If your prescription only specifies a single PD value (approx. 50–80 mm), you should divide it by two. For example, a PD of 50 would be 25 for each eye.
Addition (Add)
If your prescription includes an additional ‘Addition’ value, this indicates a reading correction. To order reading glasses, add the ‘Sphere’ and ‘Addition’ values together to determine your reading prescription (e.g. Sphere +1.0, Cyl -0.25, Ax 90, Add +1.5 gives a reading prescription of +2.5, Cyl -0.25, Ax 90).
Progressive lenses
We have chosen not to sell progressive lenses online as they require individual fitting, and without that we do not believe the result will be good enough. Quite simply, it will not meet the quality standards we wish to uphold.
However, you are, of course, always welcome to visit our shop in Södermalm, Stockholm. There, we have all the equipment and expertise needed to fit progressive lenses from leading lens suppliers.
Would you prefer to send a photo of your recipe?
If you’re unsure whether you’ve entered the correct values for your glasses, you can also attach a photo of your prescription. Please feel free to contact us if you’re unsure and we’ll be happy to help you. Bear in mind that your prescription may have changed and that you’ll need to have a current prescription.
Still not clear?
We hope that the page ‘How do I interpret my prescription?’ has been helpful. If you’re still unsure, you’re of course very welcome to contact us. On our ‘Ask the optician’ page, you can also ask us your questions directly.