Glass Prescriptions

[anitajay]

My autorefraction number in my annual eye exam is:

OD: -5.00-0.75x085
OS: -1.00-0.75x066
PD: 61

How do I interpret the numbers, especially the -5.00. I was told my glass prescriptions were off for the right eye, is the -5.00 indicating by a large amount? Looks like the numbers increased compared to the evaluation numbers from six months ago as well.

My DVA (cC):
OD: 20/70
OS: 20/25

Does that mean my current corrected vision in my right eye is 20/70 with the prescription being off by -5.00? Thank you.

[anitajay]

My prescriptions have been same for the last year, the last exam I got 6 months ago showed, which seems lower than what it says from my current evaluation:

Autorefraction

OD: -4.75-1.00x066
OS: -0.50-0.75x065

Is there something I can interpret from the differences in the numbers from now and 6 months ago? I was told to hold off on new prescriptions until post cataract surgery.

[JohnHaganMD]

You have from the above RX 4.25 diopters difference between your RE and your LE.  What I can't tell is if this has been this way most of your life or if the difference use to be the same and the myopia in the RE is from cataract formation.

[anitajay]

I've been myopic for all my life having to wear glasses for distance and astigmatism even before cataract formation. Was told my eyes are functioning as monovision, not sure if that's been like that or if it's because the cataract is significantly worse in the right eye.

[JohnHaganMD]

Still cannot answer your question.  If you have a glasses Rx from say 10-15 years ago might be able to. Otherwise cannot take this discussion further

[JohnHaganMD]

This is a generalization and you need to clarify this with the eye professional that did your examination. Your glasses RX is wildy unbalanced a condition we call aneisometrophia. Your RE (OD) is also amblyopic in that it cannot be corrected to 20/25 like your LE (OS). I'm assuming you are an adult over age 16. Given that it is not likely your vision can be improved with patching the LE as would be done in a child younger than age 5.  Moreover most adults cannot wear a glasses RX like that as its too unbalanced and uncomfortable to wear.  To use the eyes together most adults need a contact lens on the OD or lasik on the OD.  This condition also runs in families so if you have children or do have children in the future they should see an ophthalmologist eye MD at about age 3 to look for the condition when it can be treated.

[anitajay]

Thank you for the reply Dr. Hagan! Well as I mentioned before I do have cataracts in which I was told my right eye is worse than my left. Never have I been told that I have lazy eyes or that I was amblyopic. My right eye is worse and I was told to do surgery first. I don't have any other eye conditions as far as I know except for being myopic with slight astigmatism, dry eyes, and on and off blepharitis. But if this is a concern I need to bring up to my ophthalmologist or optometrist I will let them know if it isn't evident from evaluations. I had several evaluations done but it was never brought to my concern regarding those conditions mentioned, except that my eyes worked like natural monovision.

[JohnHaganMD]

Okay different story. I answer so many questions that I have to use the information supplied in the post.  And I do not have the time nor resources to seek out previous posts.  So likely your glasses RX was previously balanced and the cataract has caused 'pseudomyopia" and is the cause of the 20/70 vision assuming you had 20/20 before the cataract developed.  I'm sorry but if the information isn't in the same discussion thread I can't retrieve it. I'm not sure there is a question still posed to me. If there is what do you need to know?

[anitajay]

Do you suspect there is something I should be concerned about with the -5.00 in the right eye, perhaps any of the conditions you mentioned earlier? I'm not quite sure how to interpret it as in how much the -5.00 is indicating in terms of RX difference. Is it common for one eye to be worse than the other when developing cataracts and any specific factors I need to know that may affect that? I am assuming that it is common for the RX to change over months due to the cataracts maturing.but one eye being off much more in my current prescription compared to the other eye seemed a little skeptical, although evaluations did not find anything except perhaps double vision which was caused my cataracts (according to my recent ophthalmologist) but that was more in my left eye.

[anitajay]

I also forgot to ask, how can I determine which my "dominant" eye is? Is that something I would need to ask my doctor? Or could you tell me which one it is based on my current vision? (Assuming one eye is used more than the other causing the other eye to be "worse" while the other eye is the "good eye".

[JohnHaganMD]

1. If you posted you 'new' glasses RX post your old glasses RX. That is the only way to tell what the change has been. 2. Eye dominance. Point at something 20 feet away with your extended arm. Then close one eye then the other. Whichever eye you lined your arm up with is your dominant eye for distance.

[JohnHaganMD]

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