1 / A polarized lightwave reflectometry method comprising at least the following in succession: a step of sending a plurality of linearly polarized light signals into an optical fiber to be tested; a polarization-sensitive step of detecting the traces obtained by the light signals back-scattering; a step of normalizing each of the traces; a step, for each of the traces, of computing over at least a portion of the optical fiber to be tested, the standard deviation of the normalized trace, the result being referred to as the relative noise of the trace; a step of computation applying a weighted average type function to the relative noise of the various traces, giving the same weight to the noise from each of the traces, the result being referred to as the overall relative noise; and a step of estimating the polarization mode dispersion coefficient from the overall relative noise by means of a function of the type having one scalar input and one scalar output; the angular offset between the linearly polarized light signals being determined in such a manner that the overall relative noise remains independent of any rotation of polarization in the optical fiber to be tested.