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eyeglass prescription
I am 62 and finally considering going into progressive lenses. I would like to order from Zenni online as I am on social security but I must make sure my prescription is correct. I got bifocals from Americas best last year which are fine using this script: OD SPH+25 / CYL -75 / AXIS 145 / ADD +2.50......OS SPH +25 / CYL -75 / AXIS 012 / ADD + 2.50. In June of this year I went to my opthalmologist for my biannual checkup and was handed this prescription (I was told there was hardly any difference, but they sure write it differently)....OD SPH -0.50 / CYL + 0.75 / AXIS 50 / ADD +2.50....OS SPH -0.50 / CYL + 1.00 / AXIS 95 / ADD +2.50. I wanted to use last years script from Americas Best as I was told there wasn't enough of a change to matter. I went on live chat with zenni and was told to consult doctor. I really don't want to drive an hour to figure out how to fill out an on line prescription... so please can anybody tell me anything about which script I can use? I was told last year my astigmatism had changed and I can't tell by this last script and the axis number of that is true again.
The answer to the original question is: no. The two prescriptions are not close. FYI the All About Vision website has a good page describing the different components of an eyeglass prescription:
http://www.allaboutvision.com/eyeglasses/eyeglass-prescription.htm
It looks like most of the components of your prescription changed between the first and second prescriptions:
1. SPH = sphere = amount of nearsighted or farsighted correction needed, measured in positive or negative diopters, for distance vision (not reading). A negative number is for a nearsighted patient; a positive number means the patient is farsighted. Because your original script has a +0.25 sphere and the new one has a -0.5 correction, those are already different. Some patients will notice a 0.75 diopter swing in a prescription; it won't bother other people as much.
2. Cylinder = amount of astigmatism a patient's cornea has. Astigmatism means the cornea isn't curved the same amount in all directions. Think of a soccer ball vs a football - the soccer ball has the same curve in all directions; a football has a steeper curve in one direction and a shallower curve in another. The cylinder correction fixes this.
Your astigmatism cylinder measurement changed a lot from the first to second prescriptions, so the two pairs of glasses wouldn't be that similar.
3. Axis = the location in degrees of where the flatter section of the patient's astigmatism falls. Ninety degrees is vertical and 0 or 180 degrees is horizontal. This also changed from the first to the second set of measurements.
4. Add = the reading section of bifocals or progressives (the lowest portion of the lens). This stayed the same, at +2.5D. So that part of your glasses would be pretty similar from the first to second pair, except to the extent any astigmatism correction appeared in the progressive or bifocal area (I don't know if it does).
I hope this helps. Changes of less than a diopter swing might not be problematic, but since you are paying for the glasses I'd get a third prescription check and see how close it got to the first two. It does seem like a lot of change in your eyes in less than a year, unless there was other stuff happening with your eyes or overall health.
BTW I agree with the other commenters; don't buy your first pair of progressives online unless you can get them remade for free if needed. My husband got his first pair from Costco and hated them so much he went to lineless bifocals which he likes a lot better. Then he had THOSE remade because the first time the 'bifocal' section was too small and it required too much moving of his head to read the computer monitor at work. Costco remade the glasses twice without charging him any more. Until you know the progressives will work for you, it would be better to find a WalMart, Costco or another source in person that would give you a reasonable price and work with you until you get a pair of glasses that are effective for you. Good luck!
http://www.allaboutvision.com/eyeglasses/eyeglass-prescription.htm
It looks like most of the components of your prescription changed between the first and second prescriptions:
1. SPH = sphere = amount of nearsighted or farsighted correction needed, measured in positive or negative diopters, for distance vision (not reading). A negative number is for a nearsighted patient; a positive number means the patient is farsighted. Because your original script has a +0.25 sphere and the new one has a -0.5 correction, those are already different. Some patients will notice a 0.75 diopter swing in a prescription; it won't bother other people as much.
2. Cylinder = amount of astigmatism a patient's cornea has. Astigmatism means the cornea isn't curved the same amount in all directions. Think of a soccer ball vs a football - the soccer ball has the same curve in all directions; a football has a steeper curve in one direction and a shallower curve in another. The cylinder correction fixes this.
Your astigmatism cylinder measurement changed a lot from the first to second prescriptions, so the two pairs of glasses wouldn't be that similar.
3. Axis = the location in degrees of where the flatter section of the patient's astigmatism falls. Ninety degrees is vertical and 0 or 180 degrees is horizontal. This also changed from the first to the second set of measurements.
4. Add = the reading section of bifocals or progressives (the lowest portion of the lens). This stayed the same, at +2.5D. So that part of your glasses would be pretty similar from the first to second pair, except to the extent any astigmatism correction appeared in the progressive or bifocal area (I don't know if it does).
I hope this helps. Changes of less than a diopter swing might not be problematic, but since you are paying for the glasses I'd get a third prescription check and see how close it got to the first two. It does seem like a lot of change in your eyes in less than a year, unless there was other stuff happening with your eyes or overall health.
BTW I agree with the other commenters; don't buy your first pair of progressives online unless you can get them remade for free if needed. My husband got his first pair from Costco and hated them so much he went to lineless bifocals which he likes a lot better. Then he had THOSE remade because the first time the 'bifocal' section was too small and it required too much moving of his head to read the computer monitor at work. Costco remade the glasses twice without charging him any more. Until you know the progressives will work for you, it would be better to find a WalMart, Costco or another source in person that would give you a reasonable price and work with you until you get a pair of glasses that are effective for you. Good luck!
Thanks for your interest and comments, but the original question wasn't addressed. Are the two prescriptions actually very close? One was from Americas best and the other from opthalmologist.
Nice to know I wasn't alone. But I got my progressives at an eyeglass store. They exchanged them for the bifocals since they guaranteed satisfaction.
My ideal lens height is 35mm for bifocals and I've purchased them online with no problems.
I totally agree that an online store is not the best venue for a 1st pair of progressive glasses. Walmart has some pretty good vision centers and they won't kill you on their pricing.
My ideal lens height is 35mm for bifocals and I've purchased them online with no problems.
I totally agree that an online store is not the best venue for a 1st pair of progressive glasses. Walmart has some pretty good vision centers and they won't kill you on their pricing.
My first pair was as you describe and I couldn't get use to them either. I learned that you had to go to premium lenses to get a wider field of vision. Considering that every waking moment, of every day, you will be wearing them it's worth whatever you have to pay. For the reading area issue, many of the newer styles are too short in height for enough area to make an adequate transition from far to intermediate to reading. I've read that 30mm is the minimum recommended height for progressives. Personally mine are closer to 40mm high. Also, again, it takes an in office visit in to properly fitted for progressives, I would never buy them online. I just ordered a new pair yesterday.
I tried the progressives and could not get used to them. The reading area is much smaller than the bifocal read area and I had to move my head side to side to take in the whole line of print. The bobble-head motion did not make for a pleasant reading experience, so I went back to bifocals.
Having said that, you can get a half-dozen or so pairs of glasses online at Zennis or EyeBuyDirect (my favorite) for what you pay for a single pair at Lens Shafters. You are putting in the prescription online, so try what you are comfortable with.
Having said that, you can get a half-dozen or so pairs of glasses online at Zennis or EyeBuyDirect (my favorite) for what you pay for a single pair at Lens Shafters. You are putting in the prescription online, so try what you are comfortable with.
I have had many progressive eyeglasses over the years. Personally I wouldn't buy them online. Also I've found that many of them don't perform well. I've had the best luck with Varilux, but they are very expensive. I am going to order a new pair today with the Crizal and Transition options. Good luck.
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