Best Lens For My Prescription

Lens Selection Guide

We have created a general step-by-step guide on which material is be the best choice based off of your prescription, in an effort to help you instantly with your lens needs. Please read all the information listed below for knowledge on how to determine the best lenses for your situation.


To determine what lens material is best for you, you must first start by looking at your prescription and calculating your TOTAL POWER.

SPHERE + CYLINDER = TOTAL POWER

Please Note: If you have an Add Power for a multifocal lens you are not going to include this number into the Total Power. Please also note that if your prescription reads "SPH" or "SPHERE" in the Cylinder section this means you do not have an astigmatism in that eye and this should be factored as a 0.00 in your formula.

Referencing the example prescription above you are going to add your SPHERE power and your CYLINDER power together for each eye. For this example:

  • Right Eye: (-2.00) plus (-1.00) equaling a -3.00 Total Power
  • Left Eye: (-2.50) plus (-1.50) equaling a -4.00 Total Power

If your prescription has a positive (+) CYLINDER power, like this example above, you are going to add the Cylinder power against the negative Sphere power. For this example:

  • Right Eye: (-3.75) plus SPH (0.00) equaling a -3.75 Total Power
  • Left Eye: (-5.00) plus (+1.00) equaling a -4.00 Total Power

You are then going to use your highest Total Power, whether it is from the right or left eye. In these two examples, it would be a -4.00 Total Power from the Left Eye. From the chart below you are going to reference which lens material would be best for a -4.00 prescription.


Please Note: If your Total Power number is in the middle of two lens material options, for aesthetics and weight of the lens, it is always best to go with the thinner lens especially if you are looking at a thin frame like a MYKITA or ic! berlin. You can also always select the thinner lens if you desire the absolute best in lens technology.


Please Note: There is absolutely no substitution for a great optician's assistance determining the best lenses for your prescription and frame. There are so many variables that determine what lenses will fit best in a frame, such as; your prescription, frame type, frame material, frame base curve (wrap of the frame), lens width, lens height, lens shape, how the lens mounts in the frame, what you are looking for in a lens, your lifestyle and so much more. We always recommend everyone to Contact Us with your actual prescription and the frame you desire so that we may assist you with the absolute best lenses and options for your situation.