What is the difference between contact lens prescription and glasses prescriptions?

Answer by  monkeyz (3150)

A prescription for glasses is a little simpler since the lenses do not need to fit exactly to your eye. A contact lens has measurements that have to do with the curvature of your eye. That's the basic difference.

Answer by  hashbrown64 (221)

Contact lens prescriptions have a different magnification than glasses prescriptions, because they go directly on your eye. Because they go directly on the eye, contact prescriptions typically provide less magnification. For example, if both of your eyes have a prescription of -3. 5 for contacts, they might have a prescription of -4. 25 for glasses.

Answer by  newfave (69)

Minus lenses and plus lenses in glasses cause minification and magnification as they clear up images and reduce eyestrain for nearsighted and farsighted people. Contacts induce less magnification or minification than glasses. Therefore, you may need more prescription or less prescription in your contacts than your glasses because of the effects of magnification.

Answer by  Laly (269)

Contact prescriptions are different from glass prescriptions due to the nature of the contact lens itself. Contact lenses fits right on to the eye. So the prescription for contact lens should be different form glasses because your eyes are obviously seeing through something much closer with a contact lens than they are when you wear your glasses.

Answer by  cindy1645 (128)

Contact lenses cover your pupil to allow you to see better. Contacts are great for people who do not want to disquise their appearance, as with glasses. Glass prescriptions are for those who do not want to bother with wearing contacts or do not want to risk infection.

Answer by  Lisa6938 (485)

Prescriptions for contact lenses are different than prescriptions for glasses. The main reason is that the contact lense is placed directly on the eye, and prescription can be less strong.