PD (Pupillary Distance)

Back to mirror instructions page >>

Below are 4 methods for taking your own PD measurement

Printer Friendly Version >>>

This is the distance between the centre of one pupil to the centre of the other pupil measured in millimeters. Usually written as one value (e.g. 67mm) but sometimes written as 32/35 if one eye is slightly further away from the center of the nose than the other.

Method 1:Using an old pair of specs with Lenses removed.

Only use this method if you have an old pair of specs you no longer use)

Measure the overall width of your glasses at the temple

Lay a ruler across the open arms to get an accurate measurement

A good example of the sort of photo we require

Method:

Using a ruler, measure the overall width at the widest point, usually the temple, of an old pair of glasses, if available, in millimetres.
For accuracy, lay your glasses on a table with the arms open (shown in picture 2) and lay a ruler across the arms with the millimetres nearest the front of your glasses to measure.
Remove the lenses from your old glasses by unscrewing the screws that hold the frame together. Once loose, the lenses should easily pop out. DO NOT try to force them out with your thumbs or fingers in case of injury.
Take a photo of yourself wearing your glasses with the lenses removed and email customerservices@glasses2you.co.uk the resulting picture to us along with the frame's width measurement. We will then work out your PD for you and email you back.

NOTE: Please make sure the photograph is taken in well lit conditions and is a close up of your head and shoulders, as shown in our example.

>We would also appreciate it if you could send us the photo at it's original size i.e. NOT scaled down or cropped.

We can still make your glasses up using an average Pupillary distance measurement based on your gender, the size of the frames you have ordered and the experience of our dispensing optician. In the majority of cases this method works extremely well but there will be certain customers who through having very strong prescriptions or who significantly differ from the average may encounter some problems. In these cases the specs won't damage your eyes but may well cause some discomfort. If you know that you have a particularly strong prescription or you suspect that you may not fall close enough to what is seen as average sizes we would recommend that you do try one of the methods outlined on this page to obtain your PD measurement.

Method 2: Ask your partner or friend to help you.

Make sure your friend is sat at roughly the same height as you are and ask them to place a ruler across the bridge of your nose upside down so that the millimeter measurements are on the edge of the ruler closest to your eyes. The measurer holds the ruler in their left hand across the bridge of your nose and closes their LEFT eye to avoid any parallax error. With their RIGHT eye open, they then first line up the ruler with the center of your left pupil. Then without moving the ruler they close their RIGHT eye and with their LEFT eye open, read off the measurement to the center of the RIGHT pupil. (See diagram below). Best results are achieved if you fix your gaze on the bridge of the nose of the person taking the measurement. This point should ideally be around 16 inches or 40 cm's away.

Method 3: Taking a measurement yourself

This is easily measured looking in a mirror and using a ruler! Please follow these steps

Stand in front of a mirror at a distance of about 20cm (8 inches)
Close your right eye
Place your ruler flat against the mirror and align it horizontally with the millimeter scale pointing upwards
Looking over the top of the ruler with your left eye, align the zero mark of the ruler in the center of your left pupil
Now open your right eye and close your left but keep your head still and the ruler in the same position
Read the millimeter measurement corresponding to the center of your right pupil
To be sure, you can repeat this process a few times for consistency

Method 3: (With a helper)

Please follow these steps:

Put your glasses on
Ask your helper to stand in front of you and mark a dot on your glasses directly above your pupils left and right (Please be sure to use a NON PERMANENT MARKER PEN)
With a ruler, measure the distance between the 2 dots

Back to generic face instructions