cylinder strength & axis
When your optician mentions cylinder strength, they’re referring to part of your vision correction, one that always goes together with an axis. If you have a cylinder correction, your glasses include an additional adjustment that helps you see clearly again. Here you can learn how to recognize your cylinder strength and axis on your glasses prescription.
what is cylinder strength
A cylinder deviation, also known as astigmatism, is nothing serious. It simply means your eyes aren’t perfectly round, but slightly oval in shape. Because of this oval shape, light doesn’t focus on a single point in your eye, but along a line. Which causes blurred or distorted vision. Astigmatism often occurs together with nearsightedness or farsightedness.
where to find cylinder strength & axis on your prescription
Not everyone has a cylinder correction. If your optician has measured one, the values will appear on your glasses prescription. Though the exact placement can differ depending on the optician. Usually, the cylinder strength is the second number on your prescription. To be sure you’re reading it correctly, it helps to know which abbreviations are used. That way, you can easily recognize these values on any prescription.
how are cylinder strength & axis indicated
The cylinder value is usually shown as C or CYL. The corresponding axis is indicated as A, As, AX, AXI, AXS, or AXIS. Both values consist of numbers and symbols. The cylinder strength is expressed in steps of 0.25 and almost always comes with a minus sign. The axis is shown in degrees, ranging from 0 to 180. If the value next to C or CYL is 0.00, it means you don’t have a cylinder correction. If you find a plus sign next to your cylinder value, please contact our opticians. This is quite uncommon, and we’ll be happy to double-check your prescription for accuracy.
cylinder strength & axis per eye
The cylinder strength can differ between your left and right eye. On your prescription, you’ll recognize the abbreviations: OD (right eye), OS (left eye) and ODS (both eyes).
cylinder strengths at Wink & See
At Wink & See, we believe everyone should be able to wear glasses that fit perfectly, no matter their prescription. That’s why you can order glasses with a cylinder strength ranging from -6.00 to +6.00. So even if you have astigmatism, you can easily choose and order your new glasses online.