A prescription of -3.5 is considered moderately nearsighted. It's not severely impaired vision, but it does require correction for clear distance vision.
Understanding Eyeglass Prescriptions
Eyeglass prescriptions use numbers to represent the refractive error in your eyes. A negative number, like -3.5, indicates nearsightedness (myopia), meaning you can see objects up close clearly but have blurry distance vision. The higher the absolute value of the negative number, the stronger the nearsightedness.
- Mild nearsightedness: Generally considered -0.50 to -3.00.
- Moderate nearsightedness: Ranges from -3.25 to -5.00. A -3.5 prescription falls within this range.
- High nearsightedness: -5.25 to -10.00 and beyond.
Several sources confirm that a -3.5 prescription indicates moderate nearsightedness. This means you'll likely need glasses or contact lenses to see distant objects clearly. Without correction, your distance vision will be blurry. However, your near vision will likely remain clear.
Is -3.5 Vision "Bad"?
Whether -3.5 vision is considered "bad" is subjective. It's not legally blind, and many people function well with this level of nearsightedness with corrective lenses. However, it's a significant enough refractive error that it impacts daily life without correction, requiring the use of glasses or contact lenses for clear vision at a distance.
