Understanding Pupillary Distance

PD is the distance in millimeters between the centers of your pupils. PD measurement is used to make sure your lenses are optically centered, and it determines where you will look through the lenses of your glasses. It’s important that this measurement will be as accurate as possible for an optimal experience when buying glasses online.

The normal range for an adult PD is 54-74 mm
For kids’ glasses, the normal PD range is 43-54 mm

Generally speaking, we all have two possible PD measurements. The first one is for the far PD which is important for distance and is used in single vision lenses, for progressives and for office lenses. The second is near PD, which is for close-range vision and is important for bifocals and reading glasses. Sometimes, our eyes have differing PD values from each other, meaning that the distance between your pupil and your nose on one side can vary from the other. This can hold true for both near and far PD measurements.

Eye doctors should list your PD when they fill out a prescription for you, but sometimes they don’t. No worries, if it’s not there, you can still measure your PD yourself, right from the comfort of your own at home!

All you need is a mirror, a ruler and to follow these steps:
1. Stand in front of a mirror, 8 inches away.
2.Hold the ruler against your eyebrow. Keep your face straight.
3.Close your right eye. Position the ruler’s 0 mm line above the left pupil’s center.
4.Look straight. Open your right eye and close your left one.
5.The distance (in mm) between the ruler’s starting point and the right pupil’s center is your PD.