How to Read Your Prescription
If you can’t make sense of your eyeglass prescription, you’re not alone.
Here are some common prescription types to help you navigate yours.
An Rx will have horizontal rows or vertical columns. The top row or first column will always be for the right eye, abbreviated as OD. The second row or column will always be for the left eye, abbreviated as OS.
Each row of an Rx has three main sections: Sphere (SPH), Cylinder (CYL), and AXIS. The SPH section corrects nearsighted or farsighted vision. The CYL and AXIS sections correct an astigmatism.
There may also be a fourth section on the Rx , NV-ADD (for Near Vision-Reading ADDition), which could be used to order a pair of bifocal or progressive glasses with a close-up vision section in the bottom part of the lens.
The SPH, CYL, and NV-ADD numbers will always have a plus or minus sign.
PD (pupillary distance) is usually found at the bottom. If you don't have one written on your Rx, click here to find out how to measure it yourself.
Standard Grid Format
| Rx Note: |
SPH or CYL will always have a (+) or (-) sign. On any prescription, pupillary distance (PD) can be written in different ways: e.g., 62 (Single PD), 33/31 (Dual PD), or 62/60 (Distance PD/Near PD). |
Blank Format
The information on this free-form prescription is usually handwritten.
Progressive / Bifocal
For multi-focal glasses, as well as reading and computer glasses, your Rx will include an ADD or NV (near vision) value for the reading portion. This number always has a (+) sign.
| Rx Note: |
The type of Rx glasses may be noted on a prescription, such as DV [Distance Vision/nearsightedness] and NV [Near Vision/reading]. |
Prescription with Prism
The less common prism Rx refers to the amount of prismatic power needed to compensate for eye alignment issues (e.g., double vision or “lazy eye”). The prism Rx will have two values: PRISM & BASE.
| Rx Note: |
BO=Base Out, BI=Base In, BU=Base Up, and BD (or BDn)=Base Down. |
Vertical Prescription
Unlike typical Rx formats, with values going from left to right, the vertical Rx values are listed top to bottom. This format is less common in the US.
Common Rx Acronyms
- OD = Oculus Dexter refers to right eye.
- OS = Oculus Sinister refers to left eye.
- SPH = Sphere corrects nearsighted or farsighted vision.
- CYL = Cylinder combined with Axis corrects astigmatism.
- PD = Pupillary Distance is the measurement of distance between the pupils.
- ADD or NV ADD = reading power used for a bifocal or progressive
- For complete list of Rx acronyms, click here.
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