The values of optical deformation potentials (Du and Dd) for PbSe and PbTe are analyzed using absorption, luminescence and X-ray diffraction data on high quality, deep quantum well PbSe/PbSrSe and PbTe/PbEuTe structures. It is important for these evaluations to use the value of isotropic deformation potential (Diso) which is determined from the low temperature hydrostatic pressure experiments and the intervalley splitting which was determined from differential absorption spectroscopy. The fitting procedure was done using an accurate k·p model for the band structure near the fundamental gap including anisotropy, multi-valley, and band nonparabolicity effects. We find the new optical deformation potential values at 4 K: Du = - 0.2 and – 0.5 eV, and Dd = 5.3 and 3.5 eV for PbSe and PbTe, respectively.