What do the different parts of the Spectacle Prescription mean?
A prescription is made of many parts. Sph or sphere is usually the first number and will either have a plus sign (+) or a minus sign (-). Occasionally there may be the word ‘plano’ or the symbol ‘∞’. These both mean a sphere power of 0.00. On some prescriptions there will also be a Cyl or cylinder component. This is usually a number with a minus sign (-) and an axis which is a number between 0 and 180 with an ‘x’ proceeding it. For people who require a reading prescription , there may also be an ‘add’ which is usually a number with a plus sign (+) between +0.75 and +3.00. Except for the axis, all other numbers will end in either 00, 25, 50 or 75. If you require further assistance to understand your prescription details, please do not hesitate to contact us. • What does ‘Distance’, ‘Intermediate’ and ‘Near’ mean on my prescription? Distance means your glasses are designed for far away tasks such as driving and watching television. Intermediate means your glasses are designed for viewing
