What Does “DS” Mean On A Glasses Prescription?
“DS” is short for “Diopter Sphere” and is a term that you may come across in the “CYL” (cylinder) column of your glasses prescription.
If you see “DS” listed in this column, it means that you have no astigmatism, or that no correction is needed for any astigmatism you may have.
Astigmatism is a common vision problem that occurs when the cornea or lens of the eye is irregularly shaped, causing blurred or distorted vision at both near and far distances.
The CYL column may either be left blank or marked with “DS” to indicate the absence of astigmatism.
Can I Still Have “DS” On My Prescription If I Have A Different Prescription In Each Eye?
Yes, it is possible to have “DS” on one eye’s prescription and a specific prescription for the other eye if you have different refractive needs for each eye.
The “DS” designation indicates that there is no astigmatism correction needed, which may be the case for one eye but not the other.
What Is SPH On My Glasses Prescription?
Do You Have To Wear Glasses To Correct Astigmatism?
Not necessarily. If your astigmatism is very mild, you may not need to wear glasses to correct it.
However, if the astigmatism is more severe or affects your vision significantly, corrective lenses are usually prescribed.
In these cases, either glasses or contact lenses can be worn to help improve your vision and reduce any distortions caused by astigmatism.
Additionally, laser eye surgery can be used to correct astigmatism in some cases.
Can Astigmatism Go Away?
Astigmatism can sometimes improve or worsen over time, but it does not typically go away on its own.
Certain treatments such as corrective lenses, refractive surgery, or orthokeratology (corneal reshaping) can help manage astigmatism and improve vision.