The Interpupillary Distance and the Inner and Outer Intercanthal Distances

Abstract

Anthropometric studies are integral part of craniofacial surgery and syndromology. Interpupillary distance has been defined as the distance between the centres of the pupil. Intercanthal distance is defined as the distance between the medial and /or lateral canthi of the palpebral fissures bilaterally. Inner canthal dimensions in young adult Ijaw males and females were 42±5 mm and 39 ±3 mm respectively and outer canthal dimensions were 111 ± 14 mm for males, and 120 ± 7 mm for females respectively. Canthal indices in the Ibibios are clearly different from other populations. The study among the Igbos revealed that ageing affects the rate of growth of the intercanthal distances. For the healthy urban Turkish subjects, there was significant increase in near and distant IPD measurements with age until 19 years in male subjects. In the Sudanese population, ICD was found to be greater in males than in females. No statistically significant difference exists in the inner canthal and interpupillary distances between both Egyptian boys and girls for the same mean age. In Saudi Arabian adults, mean ICD was 31.92mm. It has been demonstrated that genetics, environmental factors, gender and age results in variations of the considered parameters.