OT: Help me understand prescription glasses!
 

I'm 45, and finally have to get glasses, mainly for work (computers..).

I've had two eye exams about 6 months apart, different optometrists, and to me the prescriptions look very different from each. I didn't have the older prescription with me at my latest exam, otherwise I would have asked that optometrist about the differences. Can someone please explain to me if there is actually a big difference between the following two:

1.
Sphere - OD: +100 OS: +075
Cylinder - OD: -025 OS: -025
Axis - OD: 120 OS: 145
"SV Near Only"


2.
Sphere - OD: +.025
OS: p1
ADD: +0.75

(no other info written on prescription)


Oh, and just found a third exam I had a little over a year ago, which read:

Sphere - OD: .50 OS: .025
Cylinder - OD: -.025 OS: -0.25
Axis - OD: 165 OS: 135
ADD - OD: 1.25 OS: 1.25




Thanks!!!

Try to find an ophthalmologist to do the exam..Optometrists, altho trained and all...well...not surprised at the results.. I had 2 exams and subsequent glasses from a local place and they blamed ME when I said I couldn't see squat with the new Rx and glasses..

And for what Bob said, right below..get a complete eye health exam..not just a look at an Rx..I just had one, to nail down some wee double vision in my RH eye..

On the one hand, the differences between those three exams would be a red flag to me. Before pursuing the fabrication of a set of glasses I would visit an ophthalmologist (not an optometrist) and not only get a complete eye health check-up but also have them do a vision test to come up with a lens prescription...and then ask them to compare their results with the three you previously got.

On the other hand, I've noticed that the older I get, the more frequently my prescription changes. I wore the same lenses from age 16 through ~26, but I've been through 3 or 4 different ones between age 48 and 58. Being as this is your first set maybe you're starting late enough that you've already entered that Rapidly Evolving age?

I still vote for an ophthalmologist.


[edit: What ^^^Pete said]

Bob and Pete nailed this. Go to a good doc and go from there. I like others have had "interesting" experiences with various eye docs. My right eye hasn't changed in close to 30 years but the left eye changes every 2 to 3 years.

Another vote for an ophthalmologist.

The industry is such that most ophthalmologists don’t perform exams as they focus on eye disease, vision care and surgery. Optometrists perform the eye exams and opticians fit the glasses. A good practice usually pairs an optometrist with an ophthalmologist so perhaps seek the opinion of both. I’ll send your numbers to a family friend and ask for an internet opinion.

Thanks!!

Remember...an internet opinion can’t be upheld in a court of law!

That's definitely not the case here. I haven't visited an optometrist for an exam since I moved down to the Washington DC area in 1980. Optometrists or maybe opticians make glasses, but opthalmologists do the exams and write the prescriptions.

OR - find a good eye care practice that does both both surgery and eye exams. I've had better luck with the optometrists in these kinds of practices, and you're not getting dinged for the cost of the MD.

As an aside, I once had a 'Pearl Vision' optometrist write me an Rx for straight (univision) reading glasses when I came in there for bifocals (she even examined my existing pair of bifocals...). Glasses came back effed, and she blamed me....

are you sure you just don't need reading glasses?

I never wore glasses....until about 45 when I couldn't focus on books, computer screen, menus or wine labels. Ophthalmologist let me know I was just getting old....

Readers....3 pair for $20 at Costco.

Presbyopia. Normal. Only problem is that reading glasses (however expensive or cheap) will get you all that but typically not computer distance as well, and that is my situation requiring bifocals.

I'm in Canada, maybe different here, but you need a referral from a doctor or Optometrist to see an Ophthalmologist. I just spoke to the clinic I went to for the latest exam, and they are going to refer me to an ophthalmologist.

Regarding readers, yeah I need them for computer distance, and as well, one eye is worse than the other. :( Headaches and sore eyes daily these days..

I have been going to an Ophthalmologist and frankly this last time the Optometrist did a better eye exam. The MD did not do the refraction, his tech assistants did it and they simply didn't take enough time. They got me to 20/25 and the optical shop next door owned by an Optometrist got me to 20/20, he simply cared enough to do a thorough job. I have had good and bad Optometrists with the ones paired with a cheap glasses chain being consistently the worst and the ones paired with a high end Optical shop being the best. YMMV

Here you go...

Ok so when a Prescription has that ADD power in it, it’s for the bifocal at the bottom. A lot of the times, especially if this patient hasn’t worn one before, that number can vary because this particular Patient might have to try a few ADD powers to see what is comfortable with them. The first prescription is the only one to me that is a little different and the reason for that is because it’s one for the near vision. When you calculate that prescription you add the Sphere power to the ADD power and it will give you a new number. You NEVER use that full number because it can cause headaches and might be way too strong to use at first, so the doctor backed it down which makes sense to me. The cylinder isn’t very significant in these prescriptions either so you can basically ignore that number. They really aren’t that much different and I doubt the patient could tell the difference between them honestly. Nothing to worry about.

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