How can I check my eye power without a test?

You can check whether it has changed, not what it is. Read distant and near text with each eye covered in turn: if one eye, distance or reading is clearly worse than it used to be, your power has probably changed and a test will give the new number.

Can I check my eye number on my phone?

Phone apps can flag that your vision has changed, but they cannot measure the SPH, CYL and axis needed to make spectacles. Use them as a reminder to get tested, not as a prescription.

What is a normal eye power?

Zero, also written as plano: the eye focuses clearly without help. Small powers such as -0.25 are common and may not need spectacles. Normal sharpness is written 6/6 (the same as 20/20), which is a measure of how well you see, not your power.

Is blurry vision always a power problem?

Usually, when it comes on slowly. Blur that appears suddenly, comes with pain or redness, or does not clear with spectacles needs an eye doctor, because it can be a sign of something other than a power change.

How much does an eye test cost in Virar?

At Ami Optics, Virar East, a computerised eye test is ₹150, complimentary if you buy your spectacles from us. It takes 15 to 30 minutes and you leave with your prescription.

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Eye health · 4 min read

How to check your eye power at home

Name: Ami Optics
Address: Shop No. 1, Mohan Apt., V. S. Marg, Near Sai Baba Mandir, Opp. Radha Krishna Restaurant, Virar (E), Maharashtra, 401305, IN
Telephone: +91 9321033221
Price range: ₹₹

You cannot measure your eye power (your eye number) at home, but you can notice that it has changed. The two-minute check below tells you whether distance, reading or one eye has slipped, and whether that calls for an eye test or a doctor. The number itself needs a test with a machine reading and trial lenses.

All eye care guidesBy Ami Optics, Virar East · Updated 7 October 2026

Example

Spectacle prescription

Ami Optics · Virar East

Eye	SPH	CYL	AXIS	ADD
Right (OD)	−1.25	−0.50	180	+1.50
Left (OS)	−1.00	−0.75	170	+1.50

Sample values for illustration. Minus numbers grow as short sight increases; the axis is a direction, not a strength.

SPH
Sphere
The main power. A minus number corrects short sight (distance blur); a plus number corrects long sight.
CYL
Cylinder
The amount of astigmatism, when the eye focuses unevenly. Blank or 0.00 means none.
AXIS
Axis
The direction of that astigmatism, from 1 to 180 degrees. Only there when there is a CYL.
ADD
Addition
Extra reading power on top of the distance power. Usually appears after forty.

Got a prescription or a question about your own eyes? Send it to us on WhatsApp and we will reply with a plain answer.

The two-minute home check

Do this in good daylight, wearing your current spectacles if you have them, and then once without them.

01Stand about three metres from text you know the size of, such as a wall calendar or a TV menu, and read it.
02Cover your left eye with your palm, without pressing, and read it again. Then cover the right eye. Note whether one eye is clearly worse.
03Hold your phone or a newspaper at your usual reading distance, about 35 to 40 cm, and read small print with each eye in turn.
04With each eye, look at a straight line: a door frame, tiles or a window edge. Note whether it looks wavy, bent or has a gap.
05At night, look at a street light with each eye. A soft halo is normal; long streaks or starbursts that are getting worse are worth a test.

What your results mean

What you notice	Likely reason	What to do
Far blurry, near clear	Short sight (myopia), a minus power	An eye test
Near blurry, you are over forty	Presbyopia, a reading power	An eye test; reading, bifocal or progressive lenses
Blur or doubled letters at all distances	Astigmatism, often with another power	An eye test
One eye clearly worse than the other	A power difference between the eyes	An eye test, sooner for a child
Straight lines wavy, or a missing patch	Possibly a retina problem	An eye specialist promptly
Any sudden change, pain, flashes or a curtain	Not a power problem	An eye specialist the same day

What you notice, and what to do about it

Can a phone app or online test give my eye number?

Not reliably. An eye power is three numbers for each eye (SPH, CYL and axis), plus a reading addition after forty and the distance between your pupils. Screen tests cannot control your distance, lighting or how hard your eyes are focusing, so at best they say something has changed.

A computerised eye test starts with an autorefractor reading, then refines it with trial lenses while you compare the options yourself. That second step is where the accuracy comes from, and it is what turns a reading into a prescription you can wear comfortably.

The autorefractor in the eye testing room at Ami Optics, Virar East, beside the eye test fee board — The autorefractor gives the starting reading; trial lenses refine it

Questions people ask

How can I check my eye power without a test?
You can check whether it has changed, not what it is. Read distant and near text with each eye covered in turn: if one eye, distance or reading is clearly worse than it used to be, your power has probably changed and a test will give the new number.
Can I check my eye number on my phone?
Phone apps can flag that your vision has changed, but they cannot measure the SPH, CYL and axis needed to make spectacles. Use them as a reminder to get tested, not as a prescription.
What is a normal eye power?
Zero, also written as plano: the eye focuses clearly without help. Small powers such as -0.25 are common and may not need spectacles. Normal sharpness is written 6/6 (the same as 20/20), which is a measure of how well you see, not your power.
Is blurry vision always a power problem?
Usually, when it comes on slowly. Blur that appears suddenly, comes with pain or redness, or does not clear with spectacles needs an eye doctor, because it can be a sign of something other than a power change.
How much does an eye test cost in Virar?
At Ami Optics, Virar East, a computerised eye test is ₹150, complimentary if you buy your spectacles from us. It takes 15 to 30 minutes and you leave with your prescription.

Not sure what applies to you? Ask us. A computerised eye test at the shop takes about 15 to 30 minutes, and we explain what we find in plain language.

Book an Eye Test Ask on WhatsApp

This guide is general information from an optician, not medical advice. Sudden changes in vision, pain, flashes or a curtain over part of your sight need an eye doctor (ophthalmologist) straight away.

Find us

Near Sai Baba Mandir, at Jivdani Chowk.

Reading is a good start. A test is better. Walk in for a computerised eye test; no appointment is needed.

Address

Ami Optics
Shop No. 1, Mohan Apt., V. S. Marg
Near Sai Baba Mandir, Opp. Radha Krishna Restaurant
Virar (E), Maharashtra 401305

Hours

Mon–Thu, Sat–Sun · 9:30 am – 9:30 pm
Friday · closed

Customers come to us from Virar East, Virar West, Nalasopara and Vasai. Look for the shop opposite Radha Krishna Restaurant, near Sai Baba Mandir, at Jivdani Chowk. Landmarks and a map are on the visit us page. We speak English, हिंदी and मराठी.

Call +91 9321033221 WhatsApp Directions

The Ami Optics shopfront on V. S. Marg, Virar East, lit up in the evening — The shop on V. S. Marg

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