Contact lenses can only be purchased with a valid prescription by an optometrist. Below is a sample contact lens prescription with the key sections numbered to help with understanding and ordering.

1. Contact lens Rx - Rx is the short form for prescription. Ensure the prescription does say contact lenses. Spectacle prescriptions are different as the lenses are positioned further away from the cornea of the of the eye.

2. Expiry Date -  For most contact lens wearers, the prescription is usually 12 months, as regular checks is important to ensure that your eyes remain healthy. As there as so many variables to a properly fitting contact lens, regular checks will ensure that you are using the best possible product for your eyes.

3. Base Curve & Diameter - The base curve (BC)is the curvature of the lens, and the diameter (DIA) is the size of the lens. Your optometrist will prescribe the appropriate size base on your eye shape after completing a contact lens assessment.

4. Sphere, Cyl and Axis - These three variables combined make up your prescription. Sphere is your power, Cyl and Axis combined make up astigmatism. Axis ranges from 0 to 180 degrees

5. Add, DNHL, Mono D/N - Theses variables only appear for Multifocal contact lens products. Add is the addition required to assist with reading. Depending on the brand, it may be noted as Distance, Near, High or Low Add. Mono stands for monovision and D/N represents the design of the multifocal. Your optometrist will determine if your brand has these variables present.

6. Contact lens brand and type - Finally, a valid prescription is linked to a specific brand of contact lenses only. You cannot interchange brands with the same prescription as there are so many variables when finalising a prescription. If you wish to change brands, a new prescription is always required. See your optometrist for further information.

So that’s the basics for reading a prescription. It does take awhile getting used to, but once you know, it should aid in confidence when ordering contacts.