How to measure your pupillary distance (PD)

So, first thing’s first: what is pupillary distance (PD)? Essentially, it’s the distance
between the centres of your pupils (the black bits in the middle of the eyes). Your PD is an
important measurement when your glasses are being manufactured, to make sure you're
looking through the best spot in your lenses for clear vision.

If you don't have a copy of an accurate PD measurement from your optician, you could try to
measure this yourself, or have a friend help you out. We’ll talk you through how to do it here.

1.Stand about 30cm away from a mirror

Looking at yourself, hold a ruler up against your eyebrows

2.Looking at yourself, hold a ruler up
against your eyebrows

Close your right eye, then line up the ruler so that 0mm is in line with the middle your left pupil

3.Close your right eye, then line up
the ruler so that 0mm is in line with
the middle your left pupil

Look straight ahead again and then open your right eye and close your left

4.Look straight ahead again and then open
your right eye and close your left

Your pupillary distance measurement will be the figure that lines up with the centre of your right pupil

5.Your pupillary distance measurement
will be the figure that lines up with
the centre of your right pupil

Measuring a friend’s pupillary distance

To measure someone else’s PD, have them look at something around 20 feet away from them with both their eyes open.

Using a ruler, line up the 0mm mark with the centre of one pupil, then measure to the centre of the other.

You just need to make sure that you stay out of their line of sight, they keep looking straight ahead with their eyes as still as possible, and that they don’t look at you while you’re measuring.

Do this a few times to make sure the measurement you get is consistent. The average pupillary distance for adults is usually between 54-74mm.

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How to measure your pupillary distance (PD)

How to measure your pupillary distance (PD)

How to measure your pupillary distance (PD)

For reading glasses

Measuring a friend’s pupillary distance