Ophthalmic Anthropometry for Ghanaian Adults

Abstract

In a prospective ophthalmic anthropometric study of Ghanaian adults of either sex, four hundred ethnic Ghanaians, whose ages ranged between 18 and 63 years (mean 25.40+ 8.5), was undertaken investigating interpupillary distance at far and near, length to bend, temple with bridge height, inter-inner and inter-outer central distances. The primary objective of the study was to establish data for optical industries for the design and manufacture of spectacle frames and lens blank. Results showed that normative mean values interpupillary distance at far for early and late adults were 68.1 + 3.3mm and 68.3+ 3.0 mm respectively, and 69.6 + 3.0mm, 66.3 + 2.8mm for the males and females respectively. Results further showed that only the length to bend, bridge height and inter-outer canthal distance differed in the early and late adult Ghanaian’s. However, with the exception of the bridge height the difference in anthropometric parameters were significant for both sexes (p<0.01). It is concluded that ethnic Ghanaians had smaller length to bend an the Caucasians while other parameters are comparable with those of other ethnic nationalities.

Key Words: Ophthalmic anthropometry ethnic Ghanaians.