Requiring that an Optometrist provide a pupillary distance measurement as part of the glasses prescription is not appropriate.  Most times, a PD measurement is taken upon selection of glasses by an optician, not necessarily as a part of the eye examination.  The PD measurement can usually be measured accurately by many trained members of an Optometrist's office staff, so to specifically state that an Optometrist is required to take this measurement is not a wise use of resources.

Additionally, my specific practice does not have an optical.  While I am mostly preparing and care for patients that have had eye surgery, on rare occasion I will prescribe glasses.  I do not have digital pupillometers in my office to accurately measure these different parameters.  To require me to provide a PD measurement would either prevent me from writing glasses prescriptions (assuming that I want to take the measurement accurately).

Thank you for allowing comments.

Jen Weigel, OD, FAAO

Virginia Optometric Association