How To Read Your Prescription

How to Get a Contact Lens Prescription:

You will first need to visits an optometrist or ophthalmologist for a contact lens fitting. This is required even if you just want to change your eye color. Your eye care provider will measure your eyes to properly fit them for the correct size, as contact lenses come in many sizes. If you want to try a different brand, you will still need to see your eye care provider to be fitted for that particular brand.

It is a Federal requirement that each doctor provide his patient with a prescription, so be sure to ask for yours. It is illegal for a doctor to charge for this prescription. Request that your lenses not be a doctor-exclusive brand, as your options for shopping around can be very limited.

Your Contact Lens prescription will look something like this:

These are the definitions of the symbols:

• OD - Right Eye
• OS - Left Eye
• OU - Both Eyes
• BC - Base Curve
• Dia - Diameter

If you wear Toric (Astigmatism correcting) lenses, your prescription will also contain two additional numbers:

• Cyl - Cylinder
• Axis

Bifocal contact lenses will usually contain one additional number: the add power. A special field will be provided for this number.

Important Information:

The Prescription:
1. A contact lens prescription is different from an eyeglass prescription. Additional important information relates to the size of the lens. Also, since a contact lens sits directly on your eye, the power will not be the same as an eyeglass, which sits about 11 mm in front of your eye.
2. Your prescription will also include an expiration date, which is usually two years from the date that the contact lenses were fitted. You will need a current prescription in order to purchase your lenses.

The Base Curve:
1. BC (Base Curve) values range from about 8.0 to 9.5. Your doctor will fit your lens with the curvature appropriate for your eye. Most lenses are available 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.
2. BC (Base Curve) values are not always the same for all brands - just because you are a BC 8.6 in one brand doesn't mean you will be in another.

Astigmastism:
1. Your eye doctor may try to partially correct your astigamatism by changing the power of your lens. Standard soft contacts do not correct for your astigmatism.

If you have other questions about contact lenses, you may find the answer in our FAQ section or call our customer service line.