Pupillary distance (PD) is a necessary measurement when ordering glasses online. Many opticians neglect to give this simple measurement to their patients, but it’s quite easy to determine on your own at home. We have put together at least 5 easy ways to measure your PD at home with simple tools, including your smartphone.
This review features products from partners who compensate us. Therefore, this may influence which products we write about but not our evaluations of them. We take great pride in providing authentic reviews while remaining objective. Our thoughts and opinions are our own.
What is Pupillary Distance (PD)?
Pupillary distance is the measurement of the distance from the center of one pupil to the other. Finding this measurement simple but also very crucial when shopping for new prescription glasses online. A correct PD measurement ensures that the lenses optical center is correctly positioned over your pupil.
What is Dual Pupillary Distance (PD)?
In instances where your eyes aren’t perfectly symmetrical, you can measure the distance from the center of your nose (bridge) to the center of each eye to get your dual pupillary distance. In instances like this, a dual PD measurement will typically result in a better fitting lens due to each eye having its exact pupillary distance. This puts the lens optical center in the correct position for each eye.
How to Measure Your Pupillary Distance (PD) at Home
1.) How to Measure Your PD Online
Technology can be a beautiful thing, and that is indeed the case when using Warby Parker’s pupillary distance measurement tool. All you need is a card with a magnetic strip (credit, debit, gift, library card, etc.) and a webcam. Since most, if not all computers on the market come with a webcam, this shouldn’t be an issue for most.
We found their PD tool to be very accurate but still ran through it a few times to get a more precise PD measurement. The best part? You can use this tool to determine your PD whether you buy your next glasses from Warby Parker or not!
We know not everyone may have access to a millimeter ruler or a printer, especially if you aren’t home. Because of this, we have created a simple way to use your smartphone as a PD ruler.
Once you have the smartphone document open, use the credit card outline or the penny outline to scale your ruler correctly. Just get either guide within view on your screen and lay the appropriate object (credit card or penny) on the screen to scale the page.
Once you have the scaling dialed in you can proceed to measure your PD with a mirror as outlined in the steps below (option #3) or on the guide.
Assuming you scale the ruler correctly, this method should be just as accurate as using an actual ruler.
Stand 8-10 inches away from a mirror, looking straight ahead with the ruler parallel above your eyes. Rest the ruler against your forehead for stability.
Line up the zero (0) on the ruler with the center of your right pupil. Close your left eye to ensure that the ruler is lined up perfectly with the center of your right pupil.
With the zero now centered with your right pupil, close your right eye to measure where the center of your left pupil aligns on the ruler.
That measured distance is your PD measurement! Repeat these steps a few times to ensure you have measured as accurately as possible.
It will be easier to measure your pupillary distance if you ask someone around to help. If you go this route, just stand in front of your friend or family member while looking at a point in the distance straight in front of you. They can then walk through steps 3-5 to help determine your PD measurement.
If you think you may benefit from a dual PD measurement, you can repeat the steps above only this time using our dual PD ruler.
Our dual PD ruler allows you to center it down the middle of your nose making it easy to measure the specific pupillary distances for both your left and right pupils. The process is nearly identical to measuring for a single PD, and you can follow the 5 simple steps on our guide to help you get started!
Many online retailers can create lenses with dual PD’s and doing so will provide a better fit and optics for you!
4.) How to Measure Pupillary Distance Using Old Glasses
If all else fails, you can use your old or current glasses to measure your pupillary distance. This will likely be the least accurate solution, but you should be able to get a reasonably precise read. Follow these easy steps below:
With your glasses on, stand 8-10 inches away from a mirror.
While staring straight ahead, take a non-permanent marker to mark the center of your pupils on your glasses. Try using a highlighter, dry erase, or washable marker. Be sure to keep Sharpies or anything permanent far away from your lenses!
Remove your glasses and measure the distance between the dots to get your PD measurement.
Again, this method will be the least accurate of the bunch, but you can gain more accuracy if you have someone else make the marks on your lenses for you. Again, recommended markers to use are dry erase, highlighters, or and washable marker.
5.) Ask Your Optician For Your Current PD Measurement
Okay, this isn’t really a way to measure your PD at home, but you should be able to accomplish this with a simple phone call. Measuring your pupillary distance is a standard part of any eye exam. If you have been to an optician in the past and ordered glasses through them, they have your PD measurement on file. Just call their office, request your PD and be on your way!
Sounds simple right? Unfortunately, this simple task can be challenging for some people to accomplish depending on how their opticians or eye doctors feel about ordering glasses online. Many people have even had their opticians all but refuse to hand over their PD!
Thankfully, the law is on your side in most states. The Federal Trade Commission highly recommends opticians to provide their patients with their PD measurement hassle free. In some states, the law requires that they must! They must also provide you with your prescription upon request free of any fees outside of the initial exam.
Adults: Most adults will find that their pupillary distance falls somewhere between 52-72mm. Of course, you could expect most males to be on the higher side of this span (56-72mm) while most females will fall somewhere between 52-64mm. The average PD distance for men is approximately 64mm while the average PD for women is right around 62mm.
The averages can be used as a guide to make sure that your own PD measurement falls into a range that makes sense for your age and gender. Of course, everyone is different so understand there is flexibility to these measurements. After all, they are just merely averages!
Kids: Children’s pupillary distance will vary significantly depending on their age, gender, and development, so an average PD measurement is a little more difficult to pinpoint. That said, you can expect to find your child’s pupillary measurement somewhere in the range of 40 – 54mm. Again, you know your child’s’ size and development best, so make sure the measurement you find makes sense based on the approximations above.
Your PD will of course change as you grow from a child to adult, but it would take some unusual circumstances to change after puberty. In most cases, it is extremely unlikely for your PD measurement to change after you reach adulthood.
What Happens if I Have the Wrong Pupillary Distance?
Your pupillary distance is very specific to you so a PD measuring more than a millimeter (mm) off can result in significant adverse side effects. A properly measured PD will ensure the optical center of your lens aligns with the center of each of your pupils which ensures clear, non-distorted vision. If your PD is off by anything more than 1-2mm you will likely experience eyestrain, fatigue, headaches and blurry vision.
Thoughts, questions, or concerns? We would love to hear from you! Post your comments below, but please keep our site safe and clean for all to enjoy. Any comments posted under Eyewear Genius’ official account are not reviewed or endorsed by any retailers or brands affiliated with the reviewed products unless explicitly stated otherwise.
Tony worked for the better part of a decade in the optical industry for one of the largest independent eyewear companies in the United States. He was intimately involved with the digital, print, and product design working in concert with the development of many of the frame designs. He continues his love of eyewear through his writing and design work found right here on eyeweargenius.com!
2 replies to “5 Ways to Measure Your Pupillary Distance (PD) at Home”
Despina Anastasiou
Thank you for this extremely informative article. I have a measurement on a script quotes as 62/59. I believe this reflects the PD for Distance = 62 and Near=59. However, I am looking to order Computer Glasses and I want to understand which of these measurements applies. Would you please clarify. Thank you.
Hi and thank you for your compliment as well as the great question. If your doctor has measured your PD for those different distances then you would want to use your 59 PD for computer glasses as the screen will likely be 14 to 20 inches away at most. Hope that helps!
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5 Ways to Measure Your Pupillary Distance (PD) at Home
Pupillary distance (PD) is a necessary measurement when ordering glasses online. Many opticians neglect to give this simple measurement to their patients, but it’s quite easy to determine on your own at home. We have put together at least 5 easy ways to measure your PD at home with simple tools, including your smartphone.
This review features products from partners who compensate us. Therefore, this may influence which products we write about but not our evaluations of them. We take great pride in providing authentic reviews while remaining objective. Our thoughts and opinions are our own.
What is Pupillary Distance (PD)?
Pupillary distance is the measurement of the distance from the center of one pupil to the other. Finding this measurement simple but also very crucial when shopping for new prescription glasses online. A correct PD measurement ensures that the lenses optical center is correctly positioned over your pupil.
What is Dual Pupillary Distance (PD)?
In instances where your eyes aren’t perfectly symmetrical, you can measure the distance from the center of your nose (bridge) to the center of each eye to get your dual pupillary distance. In instances like this, a dual PD measurement will typically result in a better fitting lens due to each eye having its exact pupillary distance. This puts the lens optical center in the correct position for each eye.
Looking for new glasses? View our picks for the best places to shop for glasses online.
How to Measure Your Pupillary Distance (PD) at Home
1.) How to Measure Your PD Online
Technology can be a beautiful thing, and that is indeed the case when using Warby Parker’s pupillary distance measurement tool. All you need is a card with a magnetic strip (credit, debit, gift, library card, etc.) and a webcam. Since most, if not all computers on the market come with a webcam, this shouldn’t be an issue for most.
We found their PD tool to be very accurate but still ran through it a few times to get a more precise PD measurement. The best part? You can use this tool to determine your PD whether you buy your next glasses from Warby Parker or not!
2.) Measuring Your PD With Your Smartphone
Click to Open Full PDF Guide
We know not everyone may have access to a millimeter ruler or a printer, especially if you aren’t home. Because of this, we have created a simple way to use your smartphone as a PD ruler.
Assuming you scale the ruler correctly, this method should be just as accurate as using an actual ruler.
3.) Measure Pupillary Distance (PD) With A Ruler
Click to Open Full PDF Guide
It will be easier to measure your pupillary distance if you ask someone around to help. If you go this route, just stand in front of your friend or family member while looking at a point in the distance straight in front of you. They can then walk through steps 3-5 to help determine your PD measurement.
Jump below to View Average Pupillary Distances to ensure your measurement is within range.
Dual Pupillary Distance (PD) With A Ruler
Click to Download Our Dual PD Ruler & Measurement Guide
If you think you may benefit from a dual PD measurement, you can repeat the steps above only this time using our dual PD ruler.
Our dual PD ruler allows you to center it down the middle of your nose making it easy to measure the specific pupillary distances for both your left and right pupils. The process is nearly identical to measuring for a single PD, and you can follow the 5 simple steps on our guide to help you get started!
Many online retailers can create lenses with dual PD’s and doing so will provide a better fit and optics for you!
4.) How to Measure Pupillary Distance Using Old Glasses
If all else fails, you can use your old or current glasses to measure your pupillary distance. This will likely be the least accurate solution, but you should be able to get a reasonably precise read. Follow these easy steps below:
5.) Ask Your Optician For Your Current PD Measurement
Okay, this isn’t really a way to measure your PD at home, but you should be able to accomplish this with a simple phone call. Measuring your pupillary distance is a standard part of any eye exam. If you have been to an optician in the past and ordered glasses through them, they have your PD measurement on file. Just call their office, request your PD and be on your way!
Sounds simple right? Unfortunately, this simple task can be challenging for some people to accomplish depending on how their opticians or eye doctors feel about ordering glasses online. Many people have even had their opticians all but refuse to hand over their PD!
Thankfully, the law is on your side in most states. The Federal Trade Commission highly recommends opticians to provide their patients with their PD measurement hassle free. In some states, the law requires that they must! They must also provide you with your prescription upon request free of any fees outside of the initial exam.
Pupillary Distance (PD) FAQ
What is the Average Pupillary Distance?
Adults: Most adults will find that their pupillary distance falls somewhere between 52-72mm. Of course, you could expect most males to be on the higher side of this span (56-72mm) while most females will fall somewhere between 52-64mm. The average PD distance for men is approximately 64mm while the average PD for women is right around 62mm.
The averages can be used as a guide to make sure that your own PD measurement falls into a range that makes sense for your age and gender. Of course, everyone is different so understand there is flexibility to these measurements. After all, they are just merely averages!
Kids: Children’s pupillary distance will vary significantly depending on their age, gender, and development, so an average PD measurement is a little more difficult to pinpoint. That said, you can expect to find your child’s pupillary measurement somewhere in the range of 40 – 54mm. Again, you know your child’s’ size and development best, so make sure the measurement you find makes sense based on the approximations above.
Does Your Pupillary Distance Ever Change?
Your PD will of course change as you grow from a child to adult, but it would take some unusual circumstances to change after puberty. In most cases, it is extremely unlikely for your PD measurement to change after you reach adulthood.
What Happens if I Have the Wrong Pupillary Distance?
Your pupillary distance is very specific to you so a PD measuring more than a millimeter (mm) off can result in significant adverse side effects. A properly measured PD will ensure the optical center of your lens aligns with the center of each of your pupils which ensures clear, non-distorted vision. If your PD is off by anything more than 1-2mm you will likely experience eyestrain, fatigue, headaches and blurry vision.
Tony worked for the better part of a decade in the optical industry for one of the largest independent eyewear companies in the United States. He was intimately involved with the digital, print, and product design working in concert with the development of many of the frame designs. He continues his love of eyewear through his writing and design work found right here on eyeweargenius.com!
2 replies to “5 Ways to Measure Your Pupillary Distance (PD) at Home”
Despina Anastasiou
Thank you for this extremely informative article. I have a measurement on a script quotes as 62/59. I believe this reflects the PD for Distance = 62 and Near=59. However, I am looking to order Computer Glasses and I want to understand which of these measurements applies. Would you please clarify. Thank you.
Tony Parrish
Hi and thank you for your compliment as well as the great question. If your doctor has measured your PD for those different distances then you would want to use your 59 PD for computer glasses as the screen will likely be 14 to 20 inches away at most. Hope that helps!
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