MICHAEL / Eyewear Answers & Calculators
Does my eye doctor have to give me my prescription and PD so I can buy glasses online?
Direct answer:Under the federal FTC Eyeglass Rule (16 CFR Part 456), US optometrists and ophthalmologists must provide your signed eyeglass prescription automatically right after your refractive exam at US$0 extra fee; pupillary distance (PD) is regulated at the state level, so if your clinic leaves PD blank, check a prior eyewear receipt or measure your Single or Dual PD in millimetres.
What Federal Law Requires vs. What Clinics Leave Optional
First-time online buyers often worry that asking for a printed prescription or pupillary distance (PD) requires paying a release fee. Federal and state rules split those items cleanly:
| Prescription Item | Required on Your Slip? | Allowed Release Fee | What to Do Before Ordering Online |
|---|---|---|---|
| OD & OS Refractive Power (SPH, CYL, Axis, ADD) | Mandatory nationwide (16 CFR § 456.2) | US$0 (automatic after exam) | Copy exact + or - signs; transpose +CYL to -CYL if written by an ophthalmologist. |
| Pupillary Distance (Single or Dual PD in mm) | State-by-state (dispensing measurement under FTC) | Varies by clinic policy | Ask the technician politely during your exam, check an older online eyewear invoice, or measure twice with a millimetre ruler. |
| Contact Lens Parameters (BC, DIA, Brand) | Separate Contact Lens Rule | Do not enter for glasses | Ask for your spectacle (eyeglass) prescription; vertex distance changes power past ±4.00 D. |
Three Pre-Order Checks That Prevent Prescription Remakes
- Never copy numbers off a contact lens box: Contact lenses rest directly on your tear film, whereas eyeglasses sit roughly
12 mmin front of your cornea. Above±4.00 D, that 12 mm vertex gap changes both sphere and cylinder values, and contact boxes omit spectacle Axis precision and ADD zones. - Check whether your slip is still current (1 to 2 years): Most US state optometry boards set eyeglass prescription expiration at 1 or 2 years from the exam date. An up-to-date refraction catches subtle
0.25 to 0.50 Dcylinder shifts that cause nighttime headlight starbursts. - Request Dual Monocular PD if your Rx is strong or multifocal: When asking your clinic technician to jot down your PD, ask for monocular (right and left) distance PD (such as
31.5 / 32.5 mm). Our configurator accepts Dual PD from17.5 to 41.0 mmper eye in0.5 mmsteps.
Follow-Up Questions Buyers Ask
Can an eye clinic charge $25 just to hand me my eyeglass prescription?
No. Under 16 CFR § 456.2 of the FTC Eyeglass Rule, a prescriber cannot charge an extra fee on top of the eye exam to release your eyeglass prescription, nor require you to buy frames in-office as a condition of the exam.
Why does my prescription paper have two different PD numbers like 64 / 61?
64 mm is your Distance PD (when looking straight ahead at 20 feet) and 61 mm is your Near PD (when your eyes converge inward to read at 16 inches). Enter 64 mm for Single Vision distance, Driving, Sun and Progressive glasses; enter 61 mm only for dedicated single-vision Reading glasses.
Do I need to upload a scan of my paper prescription during MICHAEL checkout?
Online self-service checkout lets you enter your confirmed OD, OS and PD numbers directly on the product configurator without waiting on manual document approval, and prints those exact Rx values onto your itemized USD order receipt. If you want a human optician team check before paying, email michael.optical.csr@gmail.com.
Clinical & Regulatory References
- 16 CFR Part 456: Ophthalmic Practice Rules (Federal Eyeglass Rule) ↗ (U.S. Federal Trade Commission (eCFR)) Federal regulation requiring automatic, zero-fee release of a patient’s eyeglass prescription immediately upon completion of a refractive eye examination.
- How to Read an Eyeglass Prescription (and Why Contact Lens Rx Differs) ↗ (American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO)) Explains standard eyeglass prescription columns and why contact lens prescriptions cannot be substituted for spectacle lenses.