Prescriptions and lenses FAQs

We’ve partnered with ZEISS to produce all our lenses. Our single vision spectacles and sunglasses come with ZEISS ClearView lenses as standard, and we offer a range of premium varifocals. See our lenses page for more details.

After having an eye test with any qualified optometrist, it is your optometrist’s legal obligation to provide you with a copy of your prescription.

To process an order for prescription lenses, we use a prescription as it is written; this should include your name and address, the date of the examination, where you had your examination, name of the authorising optometrist, and the date of expiry.

We are not responsible for orders placed elsewhere using our prescriptions.

During the checkout you have 2 options.

1. Select an existing prescription from your account (if you have one saved), or upload a photo or scanned copy at the checkout after the payment page.

2. Email the prescription later to info@cubitts.com

This is the distance between your pupils, measured in millimeters. We need this measurement to correctly glaze the lenses in your frame. You can ask your optician for the measurement, or use our online measuring app which you will receive access to upon order placement. Alternatively, you can stop by one of our stores where we will happily measure this for you free of charge.

In store we can cater for any required prescription.

Online, we can cater between:

Sphere (SPH) between -600 and +6.00

Cylinder (CYL) between -3.00 and +3.00

Values outside of this range require precise measurements and fitting adjustments for lenses to provide optimum vision. Therefore, we do not recommend ordering spectacles online for such prescriptions. If your prescription lies outside of this range you have two options:

1. Visit one of our stores where we can take additional measurements while wearing your chosen frame.

2. Buy the frame without prescription lenses and take it to your local optician to have lenses fitted.

Please note: In certain cases our ability to fulfil your prescription for the standard price may depend on the combined sphere and cylinder values in your prescription, as well as other factors such as PD measurements and frame choice. In such circumstances we may need to contact you to discuss lens options.

Unfortunately not. Online we offer single vision lenses only. The good news is that we do offer them in all of our stores. Precise measurements and adjustments must be made whilst you are wearing your chosen frame in order to fit varifocal or bifocal lenses. If our stores are not convenient for you, you can buy the frame without lenses and take it to your local optician to have the lenses fitted.

If you would like to repeat a previous order with the same frame, we will already have your height measurements on file and can replicate the order for you.

Prescriptions sometimes refer to the OD and the OS. These are the Latin initials for your right eye (Oculus Dexter) and left eye (Oculus Sinister). The right eye is always written before or above the left eye.

The Sphere

The SPH indicates the amount of lens power, measured in diopters. If the number has a minus (-) sign, you are short-sighted (you struggle to see objects in the distance). If the number has a plus sign (+), you are long-sighted (you struggle to see clearly up close). If your sphere says plano, PL, 0.00, ∞, or is simply blank, you are neither long nor short-sighted (and have zero power for the sphere).

The Cylinder

The CYL indicates the amount of lens power for astigmatism (when your cornea and/or the lens inside your eye isn’t completely spherical). It is only present if you have astigmatism. The cylinder number may be preceded with a minus or a plus.

The AXIS

The AXIS is the angle the lens is set at to correct astigmatism and is only present if you have a correspondent cylinder value. If there is a CYL there is always an AXIS. If you have no astigmatism the CYL and AXIS boxes will be blank, or it may say DS in the CYL box.

The ADD (addition)

The ADD, or NEAR ADD, is the additional magnifying power required for reading or near work. The ADD value is always a “plus” power, generally from a range of +0.50 to +3.00. If you’re buying online and your prescription includes an ADD, you will need to let us know if you’d like the spectacles for distance vision (DV) or reading (NV).

Prism

You would have a prism in your prescription if you require a muscle imbalance to be corrected.

Base

This shows the direction of the prism in your lens, for example IN, OUT, UP or DOWN.

BVD

Back Vertex Distance is the distance between the back surface of the spectacle lens (when you had prescription checked in the eye examination), and the apex of the cornea.

In most circumstances this is not a problem. Email us a copy of your prescription to info@cubitts.com - be sure it includes date of examination and expiry date - and we’ll take a look.

No. Contact lens and spectacle prescriptions are slightly different due to the different proximity of the lenses from your eyes. We can’t make spectacle lenses from a contact lens prescription.

We offer prescription sunglasses with CR39 scratch-resistant lenses with green, grey, or brown tints as standard. More tints and finishes are available in our stores. If you’re interested in a different tint for an online order, please get in touch with us.

Not as standard, but you can select this option during checkout. There is a £50 charge for this service, excluding 1.74 index which we are unable to polarise.

It’s tricky, as you have an autonomic reflex that closes your eyes when you sneeze. But it is possible if you make a concerted effort. It’s highly unlikely your eyes will pop out of your head, however.