diff --git a/pixelocr/page.py b/pixelocr/page.py
index 798187e..4b6982f 100644
--- a/pixelocr/page.py
+++ b/pixelocr/page.py
@@ -85,9 +85,9 @@ class PageObject(object):
 
         return self.image.fits(left, top, right, bottom)
 
-    def _optical_correction(self, other):
-        image1 = self.image
-        image2 = other.image
+    def _optical_correction(self, other, T=True):
+        image1 = self.image.T if T else self.image
+        image2 = other.image.T if T else other.image
         base = min(image1.top, image2.top)
         height = max(image1.bottom, image2.bottom) - base
         bitmap1 = np.hstack([np.ones((image1.height, 1)), image1.bitmap])
@@ -182,6 +182,10 @@ class Line(PageObject):
         mask = labels[blob_slice] != label
         return image.mask(mask)
 
+    def optical_distance(self, other):
+        distance = other.top - self.bottom
+        return distance + self._optical_correction(other, T=True)
+
 
 class Glyph(PageObject):
     MIN_BODY_HEIGHT = 10