How to Measure Your Interpupillary Distance

Grab a ruler with millimeter units., Stand in front of a mirror., Close your right eye to center your left pupil., Read and measure the distance to your right pupil.

4 Steps 2 min read Medium

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Step 1: Grab a ruler with millimeter units.

    In order to measure your PD at home, you will need a ruler that has millimeter units.If you do not have a ruler at home, you can print out a PD measurement ruler online from many vision center and eyeglass retail websites.

    Just be sure that when you print the page you set your printer so that it does not scale the image.Some online eyeglass retailers use programs that allow you to photograph yourself holding a credit card up to your face for scale, but most require you to manually measure the distance.
  2. Step 2: Stand in front of a mirror.

    If you're measuring your own PD, you'll need to use a mirror.

    Make sure that you're in a well-lit area so that you can line up the ruler and see the ruler markings.

    In order to get a good reading, you'll need to stand approximately eight inches (20 centimeters) from the mirror.Hold the ruler right above your eyes, straight across your eyebrows.

    Keep your head straight and upright to ensure a proper measurement. , It's easiest to measure one eye at a time by closing the other eye.

    Start by closing your right eye and holding the zero millimeter mark right above the exact center of your left pupil.

    Try to get an exact alignment with the zero mark, as this could alter the reading for your whole measurement., Without moving your head or the ruler at all, open your right eye and find the exact millimeter mark that falls on your right pupil.

    Make sure you're looking straight ahead at the mirror to ensure an accurate reading.

    The number (in millimeters) that lines up with the center of your pupil, or as close to center as you can measure, is your PD.It's best to try remeasuring your PD three or four times to make sure that your reading is consistently accurate.
  3. Step 3: Close your right eye to center your left pupil.

  4. Step 4: Read and measure the distance to your right pupil.

Detailed Guide

In order to measure your PD at home, you will need a ruler that has millimeter units.If you do not have a ruler at home, you can print out a PD measurement ruler online from many vision center and eyeglass retail websites.

Just be sure that when you print the page you set your printer so that it does not scale the image.Some online eyeglass retailers use programs that allow you to photograph yourself holding a credit card up to your face for scale, but most require you to manually measure the distance.

If you're measuring your own PD, you'll need to use a mirror.

Make sure that you're in a well-lit area so that you can line up the ruler and see the ruler markings.

In order to get a good reading, you'll need to stand approximately eight inches (20 centimeters) from the mirror.Hold the ruler right above your eyes, straight across your eyebrows.

Keep your head straight and upright to ensure a proper measurement. , It's easiest to measure one eye at a time by closing the other eye.

Start by closing your right eye and holding the zero millimeter mark right above the exact center of your left pupil.

Try to get an exact alignment with the zero mark, as this could alter the reading for your whole measurement., Without moving your head or the ruler at all, open your right eye and find the exact millimeter mark that falls on your right pupil.

Make sure you're looking straight ahead at the mirror to ensure an accurate reading.

The number (in millimeters) that lines up with the center of your pupil, or as close to center as you can measure, is your PD.It's best to try remeasuring your PD three or four times to make sure that your reading is consistently accurate.

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Sophia Martin

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