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Contact Lenses Prescription - how to read it

Yes, I know, prescriptions can be daunting at first glance. However, they contain standard elements and with little explanation you should be able to read your contact lenses prescription and understand it easily. This will help you determine which lenses and parameters to order.

A standard prescription should contain the following information:

Description:

OS: Left Eye
OD: Right Eye
OU: Both Eyes

Brand Name:

Manufacturer & Series of lens

Power/Sphere (SPH):

Compare contact lenses types

There are different types of contact lenses available with slightly different purposes.

1-Day soft lenses

Single-use, daily wear lens that are designed to be worn for a single day, discarded at night, and replaced with a brand new pair.

assures fresh and clean lenses when replaced
typically no lens care is required
great for active lifestyles

Daily-wear soft lenses

Made of soft, flexible plastics that allow oxygen to pass through to the eyes.

more comfortable and more difficult to dislodge than RGP lenses
very short adaptation period
available in tints and bifocals
great for active lifestyles

Contact Lenses Glossary

Glossary of Common Contact Lenses-Related Terms

Aspheric - a thin contact lens with gradually changing power

Astigmatism - condition in which the cornea has an irregular curvature, often but not always occurring with hyperopia or myopia

Axis - precise location of the point where correction is needed on the eye

Base Curve - a number between 7.0 and 10.0 or a phrase, such as steep or flat, that describes the curvature of the eye

Bifocal - contact lenses with two or more viewing zones

Cleaning Solution - a liquid solution that aids in removal of debris from contact lenses

Colored lens - a contact lens with a tint or color added, either for handling/visibility purposes or to enhance or change eye color

Colorblends - brand name of colored lenses, Freshlook Colorblends

Cornea - referred to as the "window of the eye," it is the outermost layer of the eye

Corrective lens - see contact lens

Contact Lens - thin plastic material designed to fit over the cornea for the correction of a refractive error.

Common Eye Vision Conditions

Besides refractive errors that necessitate vision correction, there are a few common eye conditions that people can have. They are astigmatism, glaucoma, myopia, hyperopia and presbyopia.

Astigmatism:	condition in which the cornea's curvature is asymmetrical - sometimes, this is described as the eye being shaped more like a football than a baseball. The eye is therefore unable to focus clearly. This can be corrected with toric contact lenses
Glaucoma:	condition in which the pressure inside the eye is elevated because of excessive amounts of fluid (aqueous humor). This can damage the optic nerve and cause a range of impairment, from loss of peripheral vision, or blindness. Chronic glaucoma usually begins in people over the age of 40
Myopia:	also called nearsightedness. People with this condition can see clearly up close but not at a distance
Hyperopia:	also called farsightedness. People with this condition can see clearly at a distance but not up close
Presbyopia:	condition that usually affects people 40 and over. People with usually normal vision find it more and more difficult to read and do detailed work unless they're very close up. People with presbyopia can find help in the use of reading glasses, or bifocal or multifocal contact lenses

Source: Coastal Contacts

Contact Lenses Alternate Names - find your lens

Help! I tried searching for my "xxxx" brand contact lenses but I can't find them anywhere!! How could this be possible? What can I do?

Many of the contact lenses have difficult spellings and can be found under numerous different names. Maybe you could try with different and alternative names instead. Here are some suggestions of alternative names and spellings for the most popular contact lenses brand...