title: Normal exophthalmometry measurements in a United States pediatric population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The normal distribution of exophthalmometry measurements in a U.S. pediatric population was determined as a reference for clinical practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cross-sectional study, in which 673 normal subjects, between 1 and 17 years of age, randomly selected from patients presenting to our institution, were measured with an exophthalmometer. Normal volunteers also participated at a booth at the annual state fair. Subjects were excluded for a prior history of orbital tumor, craniofacial anomaly, thyroid disease, orbital trauma, or inability to tolerate the measurement.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 673 subjects (52% female) with a mean age of 9.6 years were studied. There was no difference in exophthalmometric measurements between male and female subjects. Mean exophthalmometric measurements increased with age: less than 4 years old (13.2 mm), 5-8 years old (14.4 mm), 9-12 years old (15.2 mm), and 13-17 years old (16.2 mm). Asymmetric measurements occurred in 100 (14.9%) subjects, with a 2-mm maximal difference in 2 subjects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Exophthalmometric measurements vary with age among the pediatric population. Reference data are presented for each age group in a U.S. cohort.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
authors.forename: Johanna M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Dijkstal
authors.forename: Erick D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Bothun
authors.forename: Andrew R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.forename: Michael S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D044383:Black People; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005094:Exophthalmos / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D005123:Eye / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009915:Orbit / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D012016:Reference Values; D012737:Sex Factors; D014481:United States; D044465:White People; D001741:Black or African American