The PD-paradox

You know the moment. A patient has just finished their exam. They’re holding their new prescription, and then they ask the question that makes the air in your optical crackle with tension:

“Can you add my PD to that?”

For decades, the standard response has been a defensive crouch. We treat the Pupillary Distance (PD) like a proprietary secret, a crucial piece of the puzzle we withhold to prevent patients from straying to the vast, anonymous wilderness of online retailers. We believe holding the PD hostage is our best defense against showrooming.

Here’s a radical thought: This fear-based strategy is costing you sales.

In a world where consumers are more informed and empowered than ever, secrecy breeds suspicion. When you withhold the PD, you aren’t creating a loyal customer; you’re creating a skeptical one. You’re signaling that you’re a gatekeeper, not a guide.

It’s time to flip the script. The single most powerful way to boost your capture rate, build unbreakable trust, and sell more glasses is to do the one thing you’ve been trained to fear: Give the patient their PD, and then educate the daylights out of them.

Step 1: Disarm with Transparency — The Trust Catalyst

The moment a patient asks for their PD, don’t hesitate. Smile, nod, and say, “Absolutely.”

Write it right there on their prescription. PD: 63mm.

In that single, simple action, you have completely changed the dynamic. You’ve gone from an adversary to an ally. You’ve communicated confidence, not fear. The patient’s defensive walls come down, and now they are open and listening.

You haven’t lost a sale. You’ve just earned their full attention. Now, you use it.

Step 2: Educate with Expertise — From Measurement to Masterpiece

This is where the magic happens. You pivot from giving them a number to giving them knowledge.

Your Optician’s New Script:

“I’m happy to give you your PD—it’s the first and simplest measurement we take. Think of it like the first ingredient in a complex recipe, like the flour for a cake. It’s essential, but it’s just the beginning.

To make a pair of glasses that are not just clear but also comfortable and perceptually perfect, we need to take several more critical measurements that are unique to the specific frame you choose. Let me show you what I mean.”

Now, you walk them through the other ingredients, the ones that online retailers can’t accurately get from a selfie with a credit card.

Optical Center (OC) or Segment Height: “Your PD tells us how far apart your pupils are, but this measurement tells us how high they sit in the lens. Everyone is different. If this is off by even a few millimeters, it can cause eye strain, distorted vision, or a feeling that you’re ‘looking over’ your glasses.”

Vertex Distance: “This is the distance from the back of the lens to the front of your eye. The power of your prescription actually changes depending on this distance. We measure this to ensure the prescription the doctor wrote is the exact prescription you’re looking through.”

Pantoscopic Tilt: “Notice how a frame doesn’t sit perfectly straight on your face? It has a slight downward tilt. We measure that specific angle to adjust the position of the optical center, preventing induced prism and distortion.”

Frame Wrap (Face Form): “This is the curvature of the frame as it wraps around your face. A sporty, wrapped sunglass needs a very different lens calculation than a flat, vintage-style frame to ensure your peripheral vision is clear and not skewed.”

By the time you’re done with this two-minute masterclass, the patient no longer sees their prescription as a simple set of numbers. They see it as a sophisticated blueprint for a custom-made medical device.

Step 3: Invite Showrooming — The Confidence Boomerang

This is the boldest move of all. You lean into their curiosity.

Your Optician’s Closing:

“Now you see why our job as opticians is so important. We’re like the master chefs who take the doctor’s recipe and craft the perfect meal for you.

Honestly, feel free to take these numbers and look online. You’ll probably find some great deals. But you’ll also find that they only ask for the PD. They’re asking you to guess at all these other critical measurements. Many of our patients who try it end up frustrated with headaches or blurry vision and bring their online glasses to us to try and fix them—which, unfortunately, we often can’t.

We guarantee our work because we control the entire process, from the doctor's exam to the final fitting. We’re confident you won’t find that level of precision and care from a website.”

What have you just done?

You’ve given them permission, which paradoxically reduces their urge to do it in secret.

You’ve armed them with knowledge, so when they do look online, they’ll see the stark difference between a simple PD entry form and the professional service you just described.

You’ve created “analysis paralysis.” The patient will see the risk and complexity and realize that the perceived savings aren’t worth the potential hassle and poor vision.

The patient who walks out to “think about it” is no longer walking out to find a cheaper alternative. They are walking out to validate their decision to buy from the expert who just earned their trust. And more often than not, they will walk right back in.

This isn’t a paradox. It’s the new reality of retail. Stop guarding the numbers and start selling your expertise. Your capture rate, your reputation, and your bottom line will thank you for it.