Written by Original Writer | Posted in Contact Lenses |

Understanding Lens Prescription – A Few Key Terms

There are many people who suffer from vision problems. The vision problem may be due to any reason. Wearing contact lens, called contacts or less in common parlance, is one of the ways of getting rid of vision problems. Contact lenses are not only used to correct vision problems but it is also widely used for cosmetic purposes. Many people want to change the appearance of their eyes and hence wear lenses of desired colors. You need to visit an ophthalmologist or any other eye care professional and he, after examining your eyes, will prescribe you a contact lens in a prescription which needs to shown at the lens shop while buying it.

Ever made an attempt to read and understand the prescription? Most of us won’t be able to do so as it is tricky understanding a Lens Prescription written in abbreviations and measurements.

But it is important to understand the prescription for your own benefit. It may come in use sometime. It is mandatory by law for an eye care professional to give a copy of lens prescription to the patient. Here are a few terms that will help you in understanding lens prescription:

• OD, OS and OU- You will find these words in every prescription copy. OD stands for ocular dexter which is a Latin term for right eye. OS, or ocular sinister means right eye and OU, ocular uterque in short, means for both eyes.
• PWR- It stands for refractive power of the lens and is the amount of correction the lens needs to provide to the cornea for correct vision. It is measured in diopters and ‘-‘ sign means nearsightedness and ‘+’ sign means farsightedness.
• BC- Stands for back curvature. The BC must complement the curvature of your cornea for good comfort and vision.
• AXIS- It is the orientation of the lens used to compensate the cornea’s oval shape to lens’s round shape.
• DIA- DIA or diameter is the distance from one edge to the other edge of your lens.
• CYL- Stands for cylinder and used in cases of astigmatism. It shows the extent of astigmatism.
• ADD- Stands for add power. It is used in bifocal lenses for reading or close-up viewing.

In addition to this, the colour of the Contact Lens and brand also finds place in the prescription. Look for these words and it will help you in understanding lens prescription.

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