When you’re picking the perfect pair of glasses, a crucial factor that often gets overlooked is pupillary distance (PD). This small but significant measurement can have a major impact on the comfort and effectiveness of your eyewear. In this post, we’ll explore everything you need to know about pupillary distance and its role in helping you see clearly and comfortably.

What is Pupillary Distance?

Pupillary distance is the distance in millimetres between the center of one pupil and the center of the other. The average pupillary distance can range widely, from 48mm to 73mm, with most people falling in the 60mm to 64mm range.

Why is Pupillary Distance Important?

Having the correct PD on your glasses prescription will help you get the right lenses, ensuring that you’re seeing out of the ideal place in the lens. This ensures you choose the correct size of glasses that make your lenses the most effective. 

Much like not wearing glasses when you need them, having the wrong PD measurement can cause eye strain and headaches. This can be the result of misalignments in your vision. While a very small margin of error may not be immediately noticeable, it could still cause issues in the long run.

How to Measure Your Pupillary Distance

You can measure your PD by yourself, with a friend, or with an optometrist. If you’re measuring at home, there are printable rules you can use alone or have someone help with.

  • When measuring by yourself, place the ruler above your eyes and stand 20cm away from a mirror. Center the zero over your left pupil; the number above your right pupil will be your pupillary distance.

  • When measuring it for a friend, have them focus on something 10 or 20 feet in the distance to steady their eyes, and then follow the same steps.

  • If you’re measuring for bifocals, it may be useful to measure both, as the distances could be different for near and far vision. 

Consulting Professionals

While you can get accurate results at home, it may be best to have your PD evaluated by an optometrist if you need specialized or prescription eyewear. They can take a variety of precise measurements to ensure your glasses give you the best fit and correct vision.

At Laurier Optical, we want you to see the world around you as clearly as possible. Contact us today to book an appointment, and let’s improve your eyesight together.