Are contact lens prescriptions generally a half point higher than ones for glasses?

eflat

Platinum Member
Feb 27, 2000
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I used to wear contacts but then went back to glasses but now want to go get contacts.

My vision has not changed for years but for some reason the contacts I had were the same as my eyeglass prescription (-4.75) but I could not see right at all.
 

Quasmo

Diamond Member
Jul 7, 2004
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Contact perscriptions are usually higher (or lower, I cant remember) becasue the optics are much closer to your eye.

Usually by a whole point.
 

Coalfax

Senior member
Nov 22, 2002
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I cant speak for someone who may be farsighted, but I am quite nearsighted, and my glasses perscription is one point higher than my contacts

[edit] I no can speel.. sigh :p [/edit]
 

imported_Imp

Diamond Member
Dec 20, 2005
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I'm nearsighted with a -0.75 to -1.00 astigmatism. My contacts are 0.25 lower than my prescription. It's lower cause the lense is closer to your eye, so less correction is needed; just push your glasses closer to your face and you should see the effect.

I do have an astigmatism though. As a result, my optometrist initially made my contacts 0.50 higher to 'compensate' in hopes of saving some money. NEVER do this. I wore these for a few days and my vision was unacceptably blurry. After getting toric lenses, I have been very happy.

 

Miklebud

Platinum Member
Nov 20, 2002
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When I had contacts, I remember both of mine being +/-.5 of my glasses prescription. Not sure which one + or -. I'm up to 5.75 and 5.25 with glasses :( I'm fucking blind.
 

alkemyst

No Lifer
Feb 13, 2001
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More than likely you were having astigatism corrected with the glasses and not the contacts, or corrected to a better level than available in contacts.
 

eflat

Platinum Member
Feb 27, 2000
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Originally posted by: Miklebud
When I had contacts, I remember both of mine being +/-.5 of my glasses prescription. Not sure which one + or -. I'm up to 5.75 and 5.25 with glasses :( I'm fucking blind.

give me a break I'm close to 5 and my dad has -8 in one eye (well, before surgery now both eyes are still good 6 + years later.) And I have a pal with -11. He's blind.
 

brandonbull

Diamond Member
May 3, 2005
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I'm nearsighted and my contact prescription is about .5 lower than glasses. -5.00 for contact and -5.50 for glasses