[The measurement of normal values of exophthalmos, interpupillary distance and interorbital distance of children and adolescence in Xiamen and the rule of their development].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the developing rhythm of children and adolescent exophthalmos, interorbital distance (IOD) and interpupillary distance (IPD) and their mutual relationships. The study will provide biometry data for formulating juvenile criteria of correcting spectacles.

METHODS: Random sampling was performed among children and adolescence aged 5 - 17 years in Xiamen. Adopting epidemic survey, we measured the biometry values of IOD, IPD and exophthalmos with a sliding gauge and exophthalmometer.

RESULTS: The average value of exophthalmos was (14.48 +/- 1.71) mm. For the 5 - 8 years old children, the value of exophthalmos trended to increase with the increase of age, meanwhile the value of exophthalmos of adolescence aged 9 - 17 years old tended to be stabilized. The average value of IOD was (95.55 +/- 5.32) mm and the average value of IPD was (56.99 +/- 3.93) mm. Both the values of the IOD and IPD of the male were higher than that of the female. The results of the IOD and IDP distance increased with the increase of age and it trended to be periodic. There was positive correlation between the development of IOD and that of IPD, and it could be described by a linear equation.

CONCLUSIONS: There is only one rush-increase stage of ocular development which is before the 8 years old in children. The rule of its development is in accordance with the growing and developing mode of neurological system.