Palpebral fissure length. In Chinese newborn infants. Comparison with other ethnic groups.

The palpebral fissure length was measured in 60 normal Chinese term infants in the first 48 hours of life. The measurement of the palpebral fissure length was performed with a vernier caliper by placing it across the greatest horizontal axis of the eye from the medial to the lateral canthus. The head circumference was measured by placing a tape anteriorly just above the eyebrows and posteriorly at the maximum point of the occiput. There was no difference according to sex or between the measurements in the right and the left eye. The palpebral fissure length was 1.94 +/- 0.17 cm (mean +/- standard deviation (SD)) and the head circumference was 34.0 +/- 1.3 cm (mean +/- SD). These data suggest that Chinese neonates have a shorter palpebral fissure length than do black American neonates and a longer palpebral fissure length than do white American and Turkish neonates.