On an eye prescription, DV is an abbreviation for distance vision. This crucial number indicates whether you have nearsightedness or farsightedness, specifying the lens power required to correct your vision for objects far away.
Understanding Your Eye Prescription
An eye prescription is a standardized document that contains various abbreviations and numbers to detail the precise lens powers needed to correct your vision. Deciphering these terms helps you understand your visual needs.
Key Terms Explained
Beyond DV, several other abbreviations are commonly found on an eye prescription, each representing a specific aspect of your vision correction.
- SPH (Sphere): This refers to the spherical power of the lens, measured in diopters, and is the primary correction for nearsightedness (myopia, indicated by a minus sign, e.g., -2.00) or farsightedness (hyperopia, indicated by a plus sign, e.g., +1.50).
- CYL (Cylinder): This indicates the amount of astigmatism in your eye, which is a common condition causing blurred or distorted vision due to an irregularly shaped cornea or lens. The cylinder power corrects this specific blur.
- AXIS: This number, ranging from 1 to 180 degrees, describes the orientation of the astigmatism. The cylinder and axis work together to accurately correct astigmatism, ensuring the corrective power is applied at the precise angle.
- ADD (Add Power): Often seen in prescriptions for bifocal, progressive, or reading glasses, this represents the additional magnifying power needed for reading and other close-up tasks. It's always a positive number and is added to the spherical power for near vision.
- PRISM: Less common, prism power is prescribed to correct eye alignment problems, such as strabismus, helping the eyes work together more effectively.
- BASE: When prism is prescribed, BASE indicates the direction of the prism's thickest edge (up, down, in, or out), guiding how the light is redirected.
- PD (Pupillary Distance): This measures the distance between the centers of your pupils in millimeters. It's essential for ensuring that the optical centers of your lenses align correctly with your eyes, preventing discomfort and distortion.
How to Interpret Your Prescription
Understanding these terms can empower you to discuss your vision needs more effectively with your eye care professional. For instance, a negative number under SPH (e.g., -3.00 DV) means you are nearsighted and require corrective lenses for clear distance vision. Conversely, a positive number (+2.00 DV) indicates farsightedness.
Here's a quick reference table for common prescription terms:
| Abbreviation | Meaning | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| DV | Distance Vision | Correction for seeing objects far away. |
| SPH | Sphere | Corrects nearsightedness (-) or farsightedness (+). |
| CYL | Cylinder | Corrects astigmatism. |
| AXIS | Axis | Defines the orientation of astigmatism correction. |
| ADD | Add Power | Additional power for near vision (reading, close-up). |
| PRISM | Prism | Corrects eye alignment issues. |
| BASE | Base Direction | Specifies the direction of prism correction. |
| PD | Pupillary Distance | Measures distance between pupils for lens centering. |
For a deeper dive into eye prescription terms and what each number signifies, you can refer to resources from reputable organizations like the American Optometric Association (AOA).
