Understanding
your prescription
Cheatsheet
Need a hand with your eyes?
Allow us!
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Get an eye exam
An eye exam consists of a series of tests that give your eye doctor the full picture of what’s going on with your vision.
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Keep a copy
Your prescription may seem intimidating at first, but this handy piece of paper indicates your corrective needs. If you want to understand what those symbols mean, check out our blog post.
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Get your PD taken
Your pupillary distance is the distance between the centres of your pupils. It is used to properly align your lenses and ensure accurate vision.
Lens Choice Guide
What to Consider
What comes first
Book an eye exam with your optometrist before purchasing your new pair in order to have an up-to-date prescription at hand.
- Find an optometrist near you if you don’t already have a file with one
- Specify the goal of your exam (whether for glasses or contact lenses)
- Be sure to request a copy of your prescription: it’s your right!
- Scan or take a picture of your prescription so you always have it handy
Prescription
Prescription eyewear and what it all means
Your eyesight has needs and your prescription tells an eye care professional what those are. FYI, you don’t need a prescription to wear a pair — non-prescription glasses or blue light lens-fitted styles are also available. And they’re all the rage.
Pupillary Distance
PD
Pupillary distance and how it’s measured
Before we get started, let’s look at what, exactly, your PD is. This term describes the distance between the centre of each pupil, which is essential in correcting your vision. Ideally, your PD is measured by an eye care professional, but our team of experts can also virtually measure your PD with accurate results.
- Before taking your photo, be sure to have adequate lighting and avoid a busy backdrop
- Hold your head upright, look straight ahead, and gaze directly into the camera
- Grab a card (about the size of a credit card) and hold it horizontally below your nose — the card should touch your face but not hide your nose
- Position yourself approximately 30 cm from your computer screen, snap the pic, send it in, and we’ll do the measuring for you