Font::TTFMetrics encapsulates the font metrics of a true type font file. A 
true type font file contains several tables which need to be parsed before 
any useful information could be gathered about the font. There is the 
excellent module for parsing TTF font in CPAN by Martin Hosken, Font::TTF. 
But in my opinion the use of Font::TTF requires intimate knowledge of TTF 
font format. This module was written to support the use of TTF in Pastel 
2D graphics library in Perl. Three factors prompted me to write this 
module: first, I required a fast module to access TTF file. Second, all 
the access required was read-only. Last, I wanted a user friendly, higher 
level API to access TTF file.

WWW: http://search.cpan.org/dist/Font-TTFMetrics