Assessing your pupillary distance (PD):

This measurement is the distance between the centre of your pupils measured in millimetres

It is usually written as one measurement such as 60 (60mm) but can also be shown as R 29 L 31 or 29/31. When written in this way it is the individual space from your right and left pupils to the midline of your nose.

If you do not know this measurement and don't want to measure it yourself then we will use an average (65) for men and (63) for women.

Get a friend or family member to measure your pupillary distance

This will be by far the simplest means by obtaining your PD. Your assistant will have to place a ruler above your eyes, just across your forehead.

Next ask your assistant to close their right eye and you then look directly into their left eye. Request your assistant to slide the rule in order for the zero value is in the centre of your right pupil and to keep the ruler very steady across your forehead. Then ask your assistant to close their left eye and for you to look directly into their right eye.

Your assistant will subsequently read off the measurement to the centre of your left pupil. And that is it! It really is that easy! Please see the diagram below to help you further.

Using a pair of specs to measure you PD with assistance from a friend:

Make sure that your glasses fit nicely by wearing them and seeing how they feel. Request your assistant to stand opposite you and mark on your lenses the placement of your pupils with a non permanent marker.

You should now see two marks directly ahead of you whilst you're wearing your spectacles. Simply, take off your spectacles and measure the distance between the two markings. And that is it! If the ruler shows 6 cm then your pupillary distance will be termed as 60. If the measurement is 6.3cm then your PD will be 63.