Variations in Anthropometric Parameters of Upper Eyelids and Palpebral Fissures in Nigerian Pupils and Students

The shape of the eyebrow and upper eyelid are distinctive facial landmarks. In cosmetic and reconstructive operations, maintenance of the anatomical relations of these landmarks ensures a pleasing postoperative appearance. The appearance of eyebrows and eyelids plays a major part in ethnic identification. This study hopes to provide a guideline for the plastic surgeons which can be used as a reference for assessment of the patients. These data can also be used to ensure a pleasing postoperative appearance in the area of cosmetic and reconstructive surgery. For this particular project, the focus is to establish a reference eyelid anatomical data for the Nigerian students and pupils. Ninety (90) subjects comprising of thirty (30) from primary, thirty (30) from secondary and thirty (30) from the university levels, each level consisting of fifteen (15) males and fifteen (15) females. Photographs of the faces were taken with a ruler placed on the forehead and the following parameters were measured: widths of palpebral fissures of both eyes, heights of palpebral fissures of both eyes; heights of both upper eyelids; intercanthal distances between both medial canthi and interpupillary distances between both pupils. The results for primary school females' widths of palpebral fissures of left eyes (WPL), widths of palpebral fissure of right eyes (WPR), vertical dimensions of palpebral fissures of left eyes (VPL), vertical dimensions of the palpebral fissures of right eyes (VPR), heights of left upper eyelids (HLUE), heights of right upper eyelids (HRUE), intercanthal distances (ICD) and interpupillary distances (IPD) were respectively 2.1933 ± 0.1534cm; 2.3067 ± 0.1831cm; 1.4733 ± 0.1831cm; 0.5667 ± 0.1234cm; 0.5867 ± 0.1407cm; 3.0467 ± 0.3067cm; 5.1400 ± 0.3269cm. The results for primary school males' WPL, WPR, VPL, VPR, HLUE, HRUE, ICD and IPD were respectively 2.28 ± 0.1656cm; 2.4333 ± 0.1234cm; 1.4533 ± 0.1598cm; 1.4467 ± 0.1552cm; 0.5733 ± 0.8837cm; 0.5733 ± 0.8837cm; 3.1067 ± 0.3634cm; 5.3333 ± 0.2320cm. The results for secondary school females' WPL, WPR, VPL, VPR, HLUE, HRUE, ICD and IPD were respectively 2.4400 ± 0.1957cm; 2.5133 ± 0.1767cm; 1.3 ± 0.3185cm; 1.3267 ± 0.2939cm; 0.6467 ± 0.1187cm; 0.6400 ± 0.1352cm; 3.08 ± 0.361cm; 5.4067 ± 0.5239cm. The results for secondary school males' WPL, WPR, VPL, VPR, HLUE, HRUE, ICD and ICD were respectively 2.3939 ± 0.2017cm; 2.4400 ± 0.1765cm; 1.1600 ± 0.3291cm; 1.1733 ± 0.3369cm; 0.5833 ± 0.2187cm; 0.5733 ± 0.1907cm; 3.3733 ± 0.2890cm; 5.6800 ± 0.4693cm. The results for University females' WPL, WPR, VPL, VPR, HLUE, HRUE, ICD and IPD were respectively 2.5733 ± 0.2017cm; 2.6667 ± 0.2257cm; 1.3067 ± 0.1668cm; 1.2667 ± 0.1839cm; 0.7200 ± 0.1959cm; 0.7133 ± 0.1959cm; 3.3333 ± 0.2637cm; 6.0067 ± 0.2604cm. The results for University males' WPL, WPR, VPL, VPR, HLUE, HRUE, ICD and IPD were respectively 2.6067 ± 0.1944cm; 2.7267 ± 0.2658cm; 1.2000 ± 0.2390cm; 1.2000 ± 0.2390cm; 0.6400m ± 0.2028cm; 0.6200 ± 0.2242cm; 3.2333 ± 0.3374cm; 5.9467 ± 0.5330cm. Analysis of the results was done using independent t-test of all the parameters between two defined groups. This test was carried out using Medcalc, a software of medical statistics calculator.Analysis showed that there was no statistically significant difference between the structures of both eyes regardless of the age or sex. It also showed that as an individual grows and moves from primary school through the secondary to the University, there are increases in various parameters of the eyes such as width of palpebral fissure, Intercanthal distance, Interpupillary distance, vertical dimensions of the palpebral fissure, while in early stages from growth from 8 yrs to 16 yrs mostly in females, there is reduction in the height of the upper eyelids. With the result of this study I conclude that with age, no differentiation is created between both eyes in both genders and as a child grows and moves through the education system in Nigeria, there is an increase in the size of the palpebral fissures.

Key Words: Primary School, Secondary School, University, Males, Females, Widths of Palpebral Fissures, Vertical Dimensions of Palpebral Fissures, Intercanthal Distances, Interpupillary Distances, Heights of Upper Eyelids.