Ah yes. PD or pupillary distance. We have all heard of this word before and for good reasons. If you’re buying glasses online or in person, this measurement is needed to properly create lenses in your glasses frame. The main idea is that the PD is the distance between your eyes measured in millimeters.

How do I obtain the pupillary distance?

There are a variety of ways to get the PD. One method is to measure it yourself with a ruler. A little less accurate but can get the job done for small prescription. What we recommend is obtaining the PD from your optometrist/optician. They have a device called the pupillometer which accurately gets a measurement.

Some offices have PD measurements already on your electronic health record. However, most will not unless they have measured you before! Usually this measurement is done AFTER your general health check. Every office has their own policy of charging or not charging for the PD. Our office prefers to give it out for patients when asked.

Your PD is very important and can change the way you see in your glasses. This ESPECIALLY true for patients needing bifocals or progressive lenses. Very small changes in measurement can throw off the entire prescription. We NEVER recommend getting these online. A trained optician or eye doctor can measure your glasses in person for these type of lenses.

For small prescriptions, online glasses order typically are fine but not the best. If you’re someone who breaks or loses glasses, this might be an excellent option before getting a nice premium pair that can last!

We love our patients here at Glimpse Eye Care, so we try to accommodate to them and their needs. If you’re ever in The Woodlands, Tomball, Spring, or Conroe area, give us a call. We would love to help you with all of your eye care needs 🙂