What are your eyeglasses corrections?

[Silverobama]

Hi.

Is this question natural if I want to ask them what the degrees of their eyeglasses (left and right) are? And why?

What are your eyeglasses corrections?

 

[tedmc]

What is the power of your glasses?
I think "eyeglasses" is used only in the US.

 

[Rover_KE]

Why do you need to know the strength of somebody's glasses? I consider it to be nobody's business but the optician's and the patient's.

In all my years as a native speaker of British English and a citizen of the UK, I have never been asked this question, and know of nobody else who has ever been asked it. I wouldn't know the answer as I have never needed to — my optometrist (Seymour Clearly) gives me a prescription (which I don't understand or need to understand) after my annual eye test and he sends it the manufacturer who makes my spectacles according to the details on said prescription.

 

[emsr2d2]

I might ask such a question if I was already having a conversation about glasses/contact lenses. In that case, I'd ask "What's your prescription?" or "What strength are your glasses/contacts?"
I agree with Rover that it's not a common question.

 

[jutfrank]

I've had several conversations with people about how well we see and what prescriptions we have. It isn't a particularly unusual thing to talk about, not that that really matters anyway.

I'd also say 'What's your prescription?'

 

[5jj]

I'd also say 'What's your prescription?'

Like Rover, I wouldn't have the faintest idea of my answer to that question.

That's possibly why I'd never ask it - the answer would mean nothing to me.

 

[emsr2d2]

The only reason I know exactly what my prescription is is that I have my eyes tested and get the prescription from my optometrist, then I go home and order my glasses/contact lenses online from elsewhere. They're much cheaper that way. You have to enter all the information from your prescription on the order form.

 

[jutfrank]

I suspect that in certain countries other than the UK, it's normal to know what your prescription is, for whatever reason that may be.

 

[Skrej]

I think it's somewhat common to refer to one's visual acuity -e.g. 20/20, 20/30, 20/15, etc. I've at least heard it mentioned occasionally since there are sometimes standards for various licenses and jobs.

As for your actual eyeglass prescription, however - I doubt many people would know it, or even understand it. I've needed correction since I was a child, and to this day I couldn't tell you what my prescriptions ever were. I can't recall having heard anyone mention theirs, either.

If anyone wants to learn, this page has a very understandable breakdown.

Sometimes people buy those over-the-counter non-prescription reading glasses, and might know what number they need for them. Apparently they're measured in something called 'diopters', but they're simply labeled as "+1", "+2" (in increments of .25), etc. Even then, it's usually just trial and error until you find the ones you like best, but I wouldn't be surprised if someone knew they needed "2.5 strength reading glasses".

I may grudgingly have to invest in my first pair one of these days. That lasik surgery performed in my early 20's has grown steadily less effective as the years pass.

 

[Silverobama]

"What strength are you glasses/contacts?"

In your second sentence, I notice that you used "What strength are you glasses?" Did you mean "What strength are your glasses?"

 

[emsr2d2]

In your second sentence, I notice that you used "What strength are you glasses?" Did you mean "What strength are your glasses?"

I did mean "your". I've now edited my post. Thanks!