Growth patterns in the orbital region: a morphometric study.

Data for analysis of age-related changes in growth in the intercanthal (en-en) and biocular (ex-ex) widths were obtained from 1,594 healthy North American Caucasians in age groups from 1 to 18 years, divided equally between males and females. At 1 year, the degree of development of the intercanthal width reached 84.1%, and that of the biocular width 85.9% of adults in both sexes. The levels of growth achieved by 5 years of age rose to 93.3% in the intercanthal width and 88.1% in the biocular width, in both sexes. The average total growth increments achieved between ages 1 and 18 years were 5.2 mm in the intercanthal width and 12.5 mm in the biocular. The intercanthal width showed very little growth after 1 year of age; in contrast, the biocular width showed significantly greater growth increments both before and after 5 years of age. Rapid growth was observed between 3 and 4 years in the intercanthal width of both sexes. The age-related growth observed in the biocular width was small but continuous up to maturation time. The intercanthal width reached full maturation at 8 years in females and 11 years in males, and the biocular width at 13 years in females and 15 years in males.