By Rena Justine:
Want to live a better life? Changing your lifestyle by exercising more often, eating healthier, and making more time for yourself is a great way to start. However, you’ll also want to focus on specific aspects of your health that can significantly impact your quality of life. Dental health is one, as the state of your teeth and gums can greatly influence your self-esteem.
Vision health is another.
Poor eyesight can affect your ability to independently do day-to-day tasks, which is why it’s vital for maintaining a high quality of life. If you have a refractive error such as myopia (nearsightedness) or hyperopia (farsightedness), correcting it with prescription glasses can prevent it from potentially progressing into vision loss.
However, getting glasses themselves can be challenging. One study shows that cost is currently the biggest barrier to obtaining glasses in the U.S., with the average out-of-pocket price for a single pair being $234. Fortunately, researchers add that online retailers are helping cut down costs and make prescription glasses more accessible.
Since online shopping doesn’t offer the same physical experience as buying and testing glasses in person, you may have the same hesitance as the study’s participants in using the net to get your corrective eyewear. Fortunately, you can easily dispel these worries—aside from your prescription, you just need to check your pupillary distance. Here’s everything you need to know to get the best glasses possible online.
What Is Pupillary Distance?
Pupillary distance is a measurement that refers to the distance between the centers of your two pupils. Eye placement varies per person, making this measurement crucial for correctly centering your prescription in a pair of lenses during glasses production. With it, your glasses can more effectively bend light before it reaches your retinas—and better correct your vision.
However, it needs to be accurate. If your pupillary distance is off by even a millimeter, you may end up with ill-fitting glasses that cause eye strain and headaches, and those symptoms may be worse if you have a higher prescription. In fact, an inaccurate pupillary distance is one of the main contributing factors to glasses headaches caused by incorrect fit.
You will need both pupillary distance and an updated prescription to buy glasses online, as reliable retailers will ask you to input a few necessary values for manufacturing your lenses. Your optometrist can supply your pupillary distance alongside your prescription for an additional fee. If you’re simply replacing old glasses or want to save money on the fee, however, you can also do it at home.
How Do You Check It?
Costa Del Mar’s guide on how to measure pupillary distance notes that you can do so by yourself, with the help of a friend, or using a smartphone app. For the best results, however, enlist someone to assist you. You can have them measure your pupillary distance using a pair of glasses and a ruler or with a ruler only. The latter may be more helpful for first-time glasses wearers or those buying replacements for broken or damaged pairs.
Start with an object you can focus on. If you’re nearsighted, it should be close by—if not, it should be at least 20 feet away. Line up the zero mark on your ruler to the center of your right pupil, then look straight at your object. Your assistant can then check the millimeter line that falls under the center of your left pupil to get your measurement. Try to repeat the process a few times to ensure accuracy. For reference, the average pupillary distance for adults ranges from 54 to 74 millimeters.
Does Pupillary Distance Change Over Time?
Yes, pupillary distance changes as your eyes grow. For example, the average pupillary distance range for children is 43–58 millimeters. Though your measurements will generally stabilize once you enter adulthood, they may change slightly as you age due to natural changes to your face and eyes. To prevent inaccuracy, it's safer to get your pupillary distance checked whenever you need to update your prescription.
If you’re wondering how to renew glasses prescriptions online, the answer lies in telehealth technology. Today, Americans in over 37 states can get an eye exam online, and eye-care professionals can approve any prescription updates remotely so that you can go straight to buying glasses from your preferred website. If you use an online tool like EyeNetra, you’ll also receive an accurate pupillary distance update—meaning you can get all the measurements you need in one go.
Rena Justine is a teaching consultant who provides guidance to schools across the country. Through her online articles, she hopes to impart her 10 years of experience to help others. She spends most of her free time in the park with her husband and three children.
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