Lenses RX Help Center
Welcome to our help section. Here you can find information about the most common questions that arise when shopping for eyeglasses online.
Here's a quick overview of common terms used in eyeglass and contact lens prescriptions:
OD:
Oculus Dexter is Latin for right eye.
OS:
Oculus Sinister is Latin for left eye.
Sphere, SPH, or S:
Sphere is associated with curvature of the eye lens. A +ve number indicates you are farsighted and a -ve indicates you are nearsighted.
Cylinder, CYL, or C:
Cylinder is associated with irregular curvatures in the cornea and eye shape that cause focusing distortions associated with astigmatism.
Axis:
Axis is related to how the lens will be oriented in degrees to help determine whether, in focusing, images will be elongated or constricted.
Add:
Used for people with both farsightedness and nearsightedness, this number indicates the nearsighted power in their vision. We have Bifocals and Progressives available for you.
PD / Pupillary Distance:
The distance between the center of two pupils (center black dots between the eyeball).
Please Note:
Prescriptions can change, so please do not enter prescriptions older than 1 year.
Doctors have different ways of writing Prescriptions. The following samples show 3 ways of writing the same prescription.
| Rx | SPH | CYL | AXIS | ADD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RIGHT (OD) | -2.25 | -1.75 | 95 | +1.5 |
| LEFT (OS) | -1.50 | -1.50 | 90 | +1.5 |
Fig. A - Standard Format
1) Pay special Attention to the Signs. A (+) Plus power is NOT the same as a (-) minus power.
2) Distance may be abbreviated as D.V and Near may be Abbreviated as N.V
3) Decimal Points may be left out. Prescription strength typically do not go higher than 15 or so. If your prescription shows 20 or 200 for any value, 95% of the time this means 2.00
4) If there is a blank space in your prescription, then leave that value as blank in the online prescription form.
5) If there is only one Add Power, it is understood that it is for both eyes.
The Infamous PD
PD or Pupilary Distance is usually given on the prescription from your eyecare professional.
Important: More and more doctors and stores will refuse to give you your PD to stop you from ordering glasses from a discount store. Please be aware that this is illegal in most states and you can demand your PD at any time.
However, if you don't want to deal with the whole process you can simply take a ruler and measure the PD yourself.
How to Measure:
- Have a friend take a millimeter scale and measure the distance between your pupils (black dots in the center of your eye).
- Place the ruler flat on your forehead, and line the zero with the pupil of your left eye.
- Take the reading where the pupil coincides with the right eye.
Adults:
PD is generally between 55 to 65
Children:
PD is generally between 44 to 54
Two PD Numbers? If your doctor supplies you with a PD which has two numbers (e.g., 63/60), the first number is the Distance vision PD and the second is the Near vision PD.
Single Vision
Prescription using only the SPH and sometimes the CYL and AXIS fields.
BiFocal
Has a little window for reading while the majority of the lens is for distance. Uses SPH, CYL, AXIS, and ADD fields.
Trifocal
Similar to bifocals, but with an additional segment for intermediate vision above the reading section.
Progressive
No-line bifocal with smooth transition from distance to reading using the intermediate space.
Standard Lenses
Most common CR-39 lenses used in just about every optical field.
Polycarbonate
Thinner and lighter than Standard lenses. Very durable and hard to break.
Hi-index
The higher the index, the thinner the lens. Perfect for high prescriptions with sleek frames.
Standard Protection (included with all purchases)
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Lenses Manufacturing Times
Eyewear frames are retrieved from our warehouse within 24-48 hours
Eyeglass lens work is finished within 7 days (Simple jobs same day)
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RUSH ORDER (US only): 1-2 business days transit time
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