Interpupillary Distance(IPD)

IPD
 It is inter Pupillary Distance.
 Distance from centre of one pupil to the

centre of the other pupil 

 Measured in millimeters(mm)
Instruments for measuring PD
 PD ruler
 Interpupillary gauge
 Pupillometer
 Digital PD meter,
Binocular Distance IPD
 A: Between center of two pupils.
 B: Right temporal pupillary margin to left

nasal pupillary margin

 C:Right temporal limbus to left nasal limbus
IPD Measurement
Technique Steps in Measuring
binocular distance PD using a ruler 

 1.Dispenser position at 40 cm(16 inches)

 2.Dispenser closes right eye , patient fixes at

dispensers open left eye.

 3.Dispenser lines up the ruler zero point on

the subject’s right pupil.

 4. Dispenser closes left eye , patient fixes at

dispensers open right eye.

 5.Dispenser reads scale directly in line with
subject’s left pupil center ,left pupillary
border or left limbus.
 6.Dispenser closes right eye, opens left;

subject fixates on dispenser’s left eye.

 7.Dispenser checks to make sure that zero

point is still correct.

Measurement of IPD
 Instead of using the centre of the pupils,
you can use the edge of the pupils as shown
below. (be careful to use inside edge of one
pupil and outside edge of the other pupil.)
 Common difficulties solution
1.Dispenser cannot close one eye Occlude the eye with free hand

2.Subject is strabismic Cover the subjects eye not been

observed

3.Subject is uncooperative child Take a canthus- canthus measurement

Near PD
 Near PD Required for:
 Single vision reading glasses.
 Bifocals.
 Multifocal lenses.
Near IPD
 It is measured simply by subtracting
3mm(eyes converge 3mm for near work) from
distance IPD.
 For example:
 Distance IPD=65mm.
 Near IPD=65mm-3mm.
 Near IPD=62mm.
 Near PD can be calculated using the following
equation
 NPD= DPD-1.5*(dioptric demand)
Self Evaluation Questions
 How can we measure the IPD of Strabismic
child?
 What is normal PD at Distance and how we

calculate?
 If a patient’s distance PD is 65mm, what is his

near PD at viewing distance of 25cm?