Here at RxSport we want to make ordering your eyewear as easy as possible, and minimise the amount of time it takes to enter your prescription details. Thankfully, the vast majority of prescriptions look incredibly similar so we have produced a step-by-step guide to deciphering your prescription and converting it to an order. Finally, we have created a glossary to demystify a few of the terms and abbreviations you are likely to see on your prescription. But if you do have any problems, please do not hesitate to Contact Us.

Also, if you would like to try a particular style before committing to prescription lenses, simply give us a call on 01733 270771 and we'll be happy to set this up.

Step-by-Step Guide

Your prescription is made up of sets of numbers in either plus or minus form and in 0.25 steps for the Sphere (Sph.) and Cylinder (Cyl.) measurements. The axis part of your prescription will be a number between 0 and 180 (degrees). Very few people will have every one of the boxes in their prescription completed, so dont worry if you have gaps, just leave the respective box blank or enter 0. All prescriptions are split into Right Eye and a Left Eye, and each eye has boxes for Sph, Cyl and Axis measurements. There is also a Near box, sometimes called the ADD or Addition, and this refers to the additional power needed to convert your distance measurement into your reading prescription. This measurement is nearly always the same for each eye, but is seldom going to be used when ordering sports eyewear.

Be Aware! The figures in these boxes will always feature a plus (+) or minus (-) sign - please ensure that you select the number with the correct sign!

1. Start with your right eye (helpfully on the left hand side of the page) enter your Sphere measurement by choosing the correct drop down selection. NB. plano, ∞, 0 and if the box is left blank - it means you have a zero sphere measurement so please select 0.00.
2. Moving to the next box to the right, enter the Cylinder figure for the right eye. In addition to the symbols mentioned above used to represent 0.00, your optician may have written DS (dioptre sphere), but again simply select the 0.00 drop down.
3. Now, if there is a figure, enter the Axis measurement, which will be a number between 0 and 180 (so no + or - symbols). Please note there will only ever be an Axis reading if there is a Cylinder figure.  
4. There may be a figure in the Addition, Add or Near box on your prescription. This refers to the additional power needed for reading, and is usually the same for both eyes. However, it is not required for sports eyewear, so please leave this blank.
5. If there are any measurements for Prisms please enter them as they have been written.
6. In the base box enter the letter that corresponds to the correct direction written, which will be one of the following 4:                                                  U = Up          D = Down          I = In          O = Out
7. Sometimes opticians will separate the prescription into Near and Distance, for sports eyewear always use the distance figures.
8. Now repeat the process for your left eye.

Still unsure? Dont hesitate to Contact Us.

Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations

Add = the additional power on top of the distance figure needed for reading. This is required in bifocals, reading glasses and varifocals, but not usually required in sports eyewear.

Cyl = Cylinder: the compensation required for astigmatism. Astigmatism is where the eye is not a perfect sphere, i.e. like a football, but shaped more like a rugby-ball. The end result is that the eye struggles to focus at certain angles.

DS = Dioptres Sphere: you only have a sphere power and no cylinder

DV = Distance Vision

NV = Near Vision (Reading)

PL = ∞ = Plano = the same as the number zero

Prism = used to try to correct a lazy muscle. In some rare cases, this may be limited by a manufacturers supply availability. But we will contact you should there be any problems with your order.

Sph = Sphere Power: the power of lens required to correct your focus. A plus (+) sphere is needed to correct long-sightedness (hyperopic: difficulty focussing on close objects). Whilst a minus sphere(-) is needed to correct short-sightedness (myopia: difficulty in focussing on distant objects).

X = Axis = Continuing from the previous analogy, this is the angle at which the rugby ball is sitting.