Why do I need a prescription

It is necessary you have a valid prescription before we process your order.

I Don’t Have My Prescription Information

If you don’t have a prescription, you will need one before we are able to process your order. You can also book for an eye exam with one of our partners here.

I Have My Prescription Information

If you have your prescription information, but need help filling out the prescription information form correctly, please keep reading.

I Want to Email My Prescription

You may also leave the prescription form empty and email a copy of your prescription to us. Please include your order number or phone number in the email

I Wear a Different Lens in Each Eye

You can order just the right or left eye by choosing the appropriate option.

We’ll call your doctor for you!

If you don’t know your contact lens prescription, but you know your doctor’s name and phone number, then we’ll call your eye doctor to confirm your prescription. Just leave the prescription information blank and be sure to provide us with your doctor’s information when you place your order so we can call to confirm the prescription.

Please note that some offices require us to know the patient’s date of birth and name, so be sure to include that information as well in the appropriate fields. Prescription verification can delay your order by a day or two if your doctor’s office is not available on the first call.

Still Have Questions? Email us at: info@cheriesoptics.com

Here is a typical contact lens prescription:

Here are the definitions of the symbols used:

Additional Information About Prescriptions

1. A contact lens prescription is not the same as an 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.
2. Your prescription will also contain an expiration date. This is typically one year from the date that the contact lenses were fitted.
3. BC values range from about 8.0 to 9.5. The doctor fits the lens with the curvature most appropriate for your eye. Most lenses come in several different BC values. If your prescription does not contain a BC value, this is likely because your brand of lens only comes in one base curve.
4. BC values are a bit like clothes sizes – just because you are a BC 8.6 in one brand doesn’t mean you will be in another.
5. If you wear a toric lens your prescription will contain two additional columns entitled cylinder and axis. These numbers are related to the correction of your astigmatism.
6. Even the power of the lenses is generally not the same as in your eyeglass prescription. This is because:
   1. The contact lens sits on the surface of your eye, while your eyeglasses sit about 12 mm in front of your eye
   2. Regular soft contacts do not correct for your astigmatism, but your eye doctor will typically try to partially correct for it by changing the power of the lens.

Still Have Questions? Email us at: info@cheriesoptics.com