What Does It Mean If My Prescription Has No "ADD" Value?

If you are trying to order multifocal glasses (like bifocals or progressives) but don’t see an "ADD" value on your prescription sheet, you are right to pause and check!

The "ADD" value is a required medical measurement for these types of lenses. If it isn't listed on your paperwork, it simply means your doctor wrote your prescription for single-vision use instead.

What is the "ADD" (Addition) Value?

The ADD (Addition) value represents the magnifying power added to the bottom part of a multifocal lens. Think of it as the "boost" your eyes need to smoothly switch your focus from far away to up close for activities like reading or checking your phone.

This value is specifically prescribed to correct presbyopia - the incredibly common, age-related change that makes nearby objects look a bit blurry. Because of this, an ADD value is only found on prescriptions meant for bifocal or progressive lenses.

Why Isn't an "ADD" Value on My Prescription?

Your prescription will only include an ADD value if your optometrist specifically tested your near-vision and prescribed multifocal correction. An ADD value is typically omitted in these two common situations:

• Single-Vision Prescriptions: If your prescription is meant to correct only one field of vision—either just for distance (driving/everyday) or just for reading up close - it is a single-vision prescription and will not have an ADD value.

• Standard Contact Lens Prescriptions: Prescriptions for regular contact lenses that correct just one field of vision will also not include an ADD value. Only specialty multifocal contacts will feature one.

What if I Want Progressives but My RX Doesn't Have "ADD"?

It is very important to understand that "progressive" is not a premium lens upgrade or an optional feature (like blue-light filtering or anti-glare coatings); it is a specific medical prescription type. Because ordering multifocals without this number isn't possible, our system and our team actively protect your order automatically:

• If you enter your values manually: Our website is smart! If you select progressive lenses but leave the ADD field blank, the site will gently pause and prevent you from proceeding to checkout so you don't accidentally place an incorrect order. To fix this and move forward, simply go back one step and select "Single-Vision" as your vision type instead.

• If you upload a photo of your prescription: If you selected progressives but your uploaded paperwork has no ADD value, don't panic! Our optical lab team has you completely covered. To get your glasses to you as fast as possible, we will automatically update your order to the correct Single-Vision lenses your doctor prescribed and immediately issue you a partial refund for the price difference!

What are the "ADD" values you offer?

If you do have an ADD value on your sheet and want to double-check that our laboratory can custom-craft it, here are our official optical manufacturing limits:

• Progressive Lenses (No-Line): We can fill an ADD power from a minimum of +0.75 up to a maximum of +4.00.

• Traditional Bifocal Lenses (With Lines): We can fill an ADD power between +3.00 to +3.50.

💡 What if your numbers are outside this range? Please don't worry! Our optical laboratory can frequently accommodate custom specialty orders. Simply type your exact prescription values directly into the "Additional Comments" box (located right below the file upload area or your manual RX table) before adding the glasses to your cart, and our lab team will handle the rest!

💡 Did you find your ADD value and want to choose your lenses? Click here to see the types of Progressive Lenses we offer.

💬 Need a hand reading your prescription? Click the live chat bubble in the bottom corner of your screen, type "speak to an agent", and our human team will gladly read your paperwork and enter it into the system for you!