Glasses - PD - Pupillary Distance - any opticians or the like on here?

[mrsrobin]

I would like to buy some glasses online - I had my eyes tested recently but the PD is not on the prescription as I think they don't like to give it to you unless you buy your glasses there.
I usually have my old glasses reglazed and just post them (thus I think they can get the PD from my old lenses) but this time I want new frames.
So - does anyone know how exact the PD has to be - as I have measured it on all the apps I can find and they are not the same. A couple of mm different. Does it matter if I take an average of all these? For info my prescription is very low.
Thanks in advance!

I've had online glasses from Specs by Post. Their customer service is great, and they explain all about PD on their website. (Sorry, I don't recall the answer myself).

Thanks for the reply Nicecat - will have a look.

You need a monocular pupil distance ruler and there are guidelines in how someone can do this for you. You cannot measure yourself. Ex dispenser.

I’ve used the online guides for single vision specs on a -4.00 prescription for years and been fine OP. I wouldn’t do it for varifocals, but have had no issues with maybe 6 or 7 pairs of glasses with a simple prescription ordered online

I use Lensology for my glasses, they have the info on the website and you can take photos of you wearing your frames and they will calculate the PD.

Just ring the opticians who tested your eyes and ask for your PD. That's what I did, they had no issue with it.

Many opticians do unfortunately, one actually told me NO!
Went through the whole palaver of pretending to choose a frame etc and after she measured it casually asked oh what is it?
I then had to say that I was unsure about the frame I had picked and would return another time!
Bloody ridiculous.

Thanks for the replies - Silvercoconut - it really is ridiculous! I will ask but it is Specsavers so I don't think they will tell me! Madness - they would rather we don't buy the right lenses!

It was Specsavers who gave me mine when I asked. Although I think they are all franchises so may not all be the same - no harm in simply asking though.

Will ask them! Thank you

The PD is not in the prescription as it is not part of an eye test.

Specsavers will tell you! I use them and always ask them to put the PD on any new prescription and they do it with no problem every time. Your eyes, your prescription, your PD. Sometimes I buy from them and sometimes I take the prescription away and use it online.

It may be my eyes, my prescription - but I went to Specsavers earlier and was told I couldn't have it unless I was buying glasses there. I explained they don't sell the lenses I want and that I had previously purchased glasses there - but it made no difference! I remarked that they were keeping it hostage - and she agreed 😁Oh well, I think I will just have to work out an average and hope for the best!

You can use an App called GlassesOn, it's free! I used this to order online specs.

Thanks - I have tried a few of the apps - but the issue is they all give me a different result!

I would escalate the issue to a manager.

FYI - Chat GPT makes mistakes, but FWIW here is what they said.

Under UK law (Opticians Act 1989 and the General Optical Council (GOC) guidelines):

• Patients have the right to a copy of their prescription after an eye exam.
• The prescription includes the PD (pupillary distance) if it was measured.

If you used an online company previously for reglazing, email them and ask for the PD they used. I've done that before. Also, the likes of Lensology give you PD options when ordering - you can send them an old pair of glasses and they will take the measurements from those for the new pair, obviously clearly mark the glasses that are for 'reference' only - I assume other online places would do the same.

You can buy measurement devices on Amazon

Do you have an old pair of prescription glasses? Some online retailers can use those to get your PD.

I used an app to measure and bought online- varifocals .. the sunnies i got are ok but nowhere near as good as the script i got from the optician..I'm wondering if I missed a step somewhere... PD was ok but GREAT point about sending in an old pair to get it done. Thank you! The thread i didn't think I needed

‘If it was measured’….the PD is part of the dispensing process, not the eye examination.
If someone hasn’t had a dispense there in the past then it won’t be on the records to give.
It can also be adjusted depending on frame choice, frame fit - it’s not always a simple measurement. But that’s something for a dispensing optician to work out when doing the dispense. Otherwise, measure it yourself as directed by the website you’re buying from.

This is not correct. The Opticians Act defines what should be included on a prescription and PD is not listed.

if it’s been measured by the practice and is on record, it should be provided when asked. But it is NOT something that is part of a prescription. Nor is it something they are obliged to measure on request.

A PD is a dispensing measurement and as we then become responsible for the dispensing if we issue it - we don't.
It's not something that's measure as part of an eye exam, but is when you choose glasses.
A lot of the time with glasses - when they are thinned or aspheric, you also need to measure heights when wearing the frames as you need to be looking through the optical centre of the lens to see clearly and you can only measure that when someone is wearing it.

Thanks for all the tips here! I can't contact the last place I had some glasses reglazed as they have since closed down. I think I might just get mine reglazed again (I was going to get new frames) to save all the hassle. Then they can look at my old lenses for the PD. Thanks Whatusername1 - for the mention of Lensology - I think I will just go there. I can't be bothered with the hassle!

it is if your optometrist is any good.
its not part of your prescription though.