Eyes test results help?!?

Question

Hi i've just had an eye test today and need glasses, I came back with the following results from the test.

Right eye, the SPH is - 0.50, CYL is -0.50, AXIS 170.0

Left eye, the SPH is - 0.75, CYL is -0.25, AXIS 25.0

Firstly what does all that mean as they never explained it and i'm really confused? Just how bad are my eyes? And secondly should i be concered that my AXIS results are so far apart?

Thanks for your advice in advance =o)

Answer 1

the SPH stands for "sphere."  meaning the correction needed to help you see clearly.  In your case, -0.50 Diopters (a unit of measurement) in the right eye and -0.75 Diopters in your left.

The CYL stands for "cylinder."  Some people have this in their prescription while others do not.  Since it's present in your Rx, it means that you have astigmatism.  Astigmatism is when the cornea -the raised part of your eye that lays over the colored iris- is more football shaped than round.  A football shaped cornea bends light differently than a round cornea; causing things to look blurry.

the AXIS just means 'where' your astigmatism correction lies in a 180 degree plane.  You should not have to worry that the axes are different from each other.

now, your Rx is not very severe, but getting glasses will definitly help you see more clearly, especially while driving at night.  

If you do decide to get glasses, you may feel a bit dizzy for first week or two because of the astigmatism correction, but after that, you should be used to it.  If you're still not used to it by then, you should take your glasses back to where ever you got them and have them recheck/remake your glasses.