Inner intercanthal and interorbital distances

The thickness of the soft tissue layer between the inner canthus and anterior lacrimal crest was measured with the aim of correlating it to the intercanthal distance (ICD). It is shown that this layer is thicker than commonly assumed (5--7 mm.) and that its thickness is related to the width of the ICD, which may be considered normal between 28 and 35 mm. A difference between the two sexes could not be proven. The ICD is not larger in older patients compared with the younger age groups. The ICD in cleft patients is above normal, fairly often the soft tissue layer being also thicker. Statistically significant differences however could only be demonstrated for bilateral clefts in comparison with normals and with unilateral cases, but not between the two later groups.