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Eye care

How to Read a Bifocal Prescription

What the ADD value means and how a bifocal prescription differs from single vision.

Last updated November 3, 2026 · General information only, not medical advice. Please see a licensed eye-care professional for your prescription and eye health.

Woman wearing glasses

A bifocal prescription looks like a single-vision prescription with one extra column: ADD. The SPH, CYL and AXIS values describe your distance correction; the ADD is the extra magnifying power added in the lower reading segment.

ColumnBifocal meaning
SPH / CYL / AXISDistance correction (upper lens)
ADDExtra plus power added for near vision (lower segment)
PDPupillary distance, sometimes given as distance/near (e.g. 63/60)

ADD values are always positive and are usually the same for both eyes. Progressive lenses use the same prescription format but blend zones without a line.

See how to read a prescription for every abbreviation.

This article is general education, not medical advice. For any change in your vision or eye comfort, see a licensed optometrist or ophthalmologist.

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