Q: What is Near, Intermediate, and Distance prescription?

If your prescription contains different measurements for near, distance and intermediate categories, we advice the following. Enter measurements for all categories if you are ordering bifocal lenses. For Reading glasses only choose the prescription for “near” line . Choose the “distance” line if your glasses are required for distance ie for seeing objects for far away, example driving a car. Choose the “intermediate” line if your glasses are for things like VDU screen. If you need further advice please phone the hotline number : 0121 554 4080 and you can even speak to an Optician to discuss further.

Q : Can I use my contact lens prescription to order my glasses?

No. Contact lens prescription is usually different to the prescription required for Spectacles correction.

Q: What is Pupillary distance and how do I obtain it?

Pupillary distance is sometimes also called PD. This is the distance between the centre of the pupil of one eye to the centre of the pupil of the other eye. When you get an eye test from the optician you can ask the optician to write your PD on the prescription. We can teach you how to measure your own PD. To locate the centre of the pupil of the eye can sometimes be difficult especially with dark eyes. It is therefore easier to measure from the temporal edge of the iris of one eye to the nasal edge of the iris of the other eye as illustrated in the picture below.




You need a ruler calibrated in millimetres. Look at the image of your face in a mirror ,making sure that you are at least an arms length away from the mirror. Hold the ruler in position in front of the mirror. Get the zero in line with the temporal edge of the iris of one eye and read off the distance to the nasal edge of the iris of the other eye in millimetres , as shown in the picture. This measurement is called the PD.

Q: I do not understand what my prescription says?

You can send in your prescription (Click here to download a mail order form) or fax it to us at 0121 554 4080 and we will try to understand it. Opticians must give a clear, legible copy of the prescription to take away.

Q: What is the strongest prescription lens you can cater for?

The maximum prescription which we can cater for is + or - 8.00 Sphere and + or – 4.00 cyl.