Clinical significance of age-related changes of the palpebral fissures between age 2 and 18 years in healthy Caucasians.

The development of surface measurements of the palpebral fissures and age-related changes in the quality of the relationships between the individual measurements were followed in 1552 healthy Caucasians between ages 2 and 18. At age 2, the height of the palpebral fissure and the biocular width (ex-ex) were the most developed features (93.3% and 86%) and the least developed was the intercanthal width (77.6% to 82.9%). The measurements reached adult size between ages 8 (intercanthal width in girls) and 16 (palpebral fissure inclination in boys). The rate of growth in the orbital measurements was usually moderate, seldom above-average and fast only in intercanthal width between ages 3 and 4. The study determined the periods with minimal growth (approximately ages 5 to 7 and 9 to 10) for each of the measurements. After maturation, the changes in measurements were minimal. A knowledge of the developmental levels of the measurements at an early age, their changes with age and their maturation times are of great importance in timing early or final corrective surgical procedures.