Nov 10 2009
What the numbers mean on your prescription contact lens form

It’s import ant that your Prescription Contact Lens details are up to date as you will need them to compare and get the best value on line.
Also you may have noticed it’s different to your glasses, so it’s unique to your eyes and you must never use a friend’s prescription who seems to have similar vision, to buy online.
First off there are 2 columns headed OS for the Left eye and OD for the Right; and you can also get OU which means the numbers are the same for both eyes.
The other main headings are:
Power (PWR), which is the strength of contact lens you need, such as – 1:00, -1:75, + 2:00, + 3:00
Base Curve (BC) the inside curve of your contact lens, e.g. 8.6
Diameter (DIA) size of your contact lenses; 13:8, 14:2
Brand: Here you may want to see a major brand such as Acuvue, Johnson & Johnson and Focus. Then you can compare prices for the best deal online.
Add Power (ADD) A measurement of power for multifocal lenses that will help you with close up reading
Cylinder (CYL) is the strength of your astigmatism – 1:00, – 1:25 if you need it.
Axis (AXIS) is the orientation of your astigmatism such as 170 and compensates for the oval shape of your cornea and should improve your blurry vision.
Other stuff to look out for on your Prescription Contact Lens form is the expiry data which is typically 2 years and there will be a note on colours if you want tinted or colour contact lenses.
