Evaluating the Pupillary Distance in an Iranian Population and its Relation with Age, Sex and Refractive Errors

Purpose: To find the mean value of pupillary distance and to evaluate the effect of age, sex and refractive errors on this distance in an Iranian population. Patients and Methods: In this study 703 individuals (403 women and 300 men) referred to the optometric department of Hazrat Khadijeh Clinic, Karaj, Iran, were selected. Subjects were divided into different age groups, pupillary distance was recorded after complete optometric examination, by a ruler while the patient was looking at target at a distance of 60 cm. Results: The mean age of participants was 31.07 ± 16.63 years. The mean pupillary distance was 59.2 ± 3.88 mm. Refractive errors had no statistically significant effect on pupillary distance and this distance was significantly greater in men than women (P < 0.001). The pupillary distance also increased with age. Conclusion: Similar to previous findings pupillary distance was affected by sex and age in an Iranian population. Refractive errors had no statistically significant effect on pupillary distance.