Orbital measurements among the ethnic groups of Plateau State, Nigeria

Abstract

Cephalomerty is a branch of anthropometry that describes measurement of head and face in cadaveric, living, or radiological specimen. This aspect of physical anthropology has been widely used in a substantial aspect of medicine. Of particular relevance in this study is its application in the field of ophthalmology and optometry. The aim of this study is to provide a baseline measurements of these orbital parameters for plateau state indigenes of various ethnic groups and to compare with other studies in Nigeria and other countries. The subjects used in this study were 213 medical students of Plateau state studying at University of Jos. Out of the four parameters, namely outer canthal distance, papebral fissure length, intercanthal distance and interpupillary distance, only outer canthal distance and papebral fissure length show any significance difference (p-value <0.05) between plateau state ethnic groups and Hausa/Fulani tribes. There is no significance difference between the ethnic group under study and other ethnic groups with respect to these orbital parameters.

Keywords: orbital, ethnic, measurements

Highland Medical Research Journal Vol. 3(2) 2005: 45-50