Contact Lenses Prescription (-1.25 ) | What & Why it is Needed?

Understanding Contact Lenses & Eye Glass Prescription 

Prescriptions last one to two years, depending on the minimum required by state law and even though prescriptions for contact lenses and glasses are similar, they should never be used for one another. Once your prescription has expired, you must be refitted to gain a new prescription, and to be able to purchase new lenses. Your contact lens prescription contains specific information to ensure your contact lenses are safe, comfortable and provide optimum vision.

If you're in the U.S., your contact lens prescription is yours to keep. In fact, by law your eye care practitioner must give you a copy of your prescription at the conclusion of your contact lens exam and fitting — even if you don't ask for it.


If an eye care practitioner is seeing a patient for the first time, vision is usually checked without any correction and this is noted in the chart. Next, refraction is performed. A refraction is the process of determining one’s glasses (or contact lens) prescription, which is typically completed as the patient looks through a device known as the phoropter. Once you've been properly fitted by your eye doctor and have a valid contact lens prescription, you have the option of buying contact lenses from a wide variety of sources.

Is Contact Lens Prescription is Different from eyeglass prescription?

How do you read a contact lens prescription? Your contact lens prescription is significantly different from your eyeglass prescription. Although some of the numbers and measurements are the same, a contact lens prescription has a series of fields that are not included on your eyeglass prescription. In addition to the lens power, your contact lens prescription contains several other pieces of information related to the size of the lens. These fields signify important aspects, like the curvature and depth of the contact, to ensure that your contact lenses fit and function properly. For this reason, your eyeglass prescription cannot substitute for your contact lens prescription, and vice versa.

Why one should take precaution in case of Contact Lenses?

A contact lens is a medical device, and a poorly fitted lens — or one made from a material not well-suited to your eyes — can cause distorted vision, discomfort, infection, inflammation, swelling and abrasion. In rare cases, permanent eye tissue damage could result. And it goes without saying that you should never share your contact lenses, including colored contacts and theatrical contacts. Sharing contact lenses can cause potentially sight-threatening eye problems.

Remember, if you're diagnosed with a lens-related problem, it's unlikely that you'll have to permanently discontinue wearing contacts. Chances are you'll simply need a different size, material or design of lens. Wherever you choose to purchase your contact lenses, always make sure you buy your contacts from a legitimate source.

Read Here >>> Contact Lens Rule - Federal Trade Commission