Hertel Exophthalmometry Values in a Greek Adult Outpatient Clinic-Based Population: Association With Demographic Factors and Systemic Disease

PURPOSE

To investigate correlations of exophthalmometry values (EVs) with age, gender, and the presence of diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension, and dyslipidemia.

METHODS

In a cross-sectional, clinic-based study, consecutive adult Greek patients presenting for evaluation at the outpatient general clinic on a scheduled appointment basis at a tertiary care referral center were submitted to Hertel exophthalmometry in both eyes by the same observer. Subjects with signs of history or orbital pathology, including thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy, were excluded. Demographics, as well as a detailed systemic history report, were recorded. Mixed effect linear regression analysis was performed to account for the correlation between the eyes of the same participant.

RESULTS

A total of 800 eyes (400 subjects) were included, 194 males and 206 females, with a mean age of 67.82 ± 12 years (range: 18-92 years). The mean exophthalmometry value was 15.7 ± 2.6 mm (range: 11-21 mm). Every one year of increase in age is associated with a decrease in EVs by 0.03 mm (95% CI -0.04, -0.02/p-value<0.001). Female gender was associated with lower EVs by 0.33mm (95% CI-0.56, -0.1/p-value=0.005). Patients with diabetes mellitus had higher EVs by 0.47 mm (95% CI 0.25, 0.70/p-value<0.001) compared to patients without diabetes, and patients with arterial hypertension had lower EVs by 0.26 mm (95% CI -0.5, -0.02/p-value=0.034) compared to patients without hypertension. No association was found between dyslipidemia and systemic history of thyroid dysfunction.  Conclusions: A negative correlation of EVs was noted with increasing age, female gender, as well as history of arterial hypertension and a positive correlation with diabetes mellitus.

The Role of Thermal Camera in the Assessment of Thyroid Eye Disease Activity

Background

Thyroid eye disease (TED; also known as thyroid - associated orbitopathy, Graves ophthalmopathy) is an autoimmune inflammatory disease which presents in typical signs and symptoms such as deep orbital pain, chemosis with or without caruncular edema, unilateral or bilateral proptosis, eyelid retraction, eyelid edema or erythema, restrictive strabismus and compressive optic neuropathy.

Objective

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of thermal camera in the assessment of thyroid eye disease (TED) activity compared to the Clinical Activity Score (CAS) scale, exophthalmometry values, and thyroid hormone and antibody levels.

Methods

A total of 50 patients participated in this cross-sectional study of whom 29 were in the active phase of TED according to the sum on CAS scale and 21 patients in the inactive phase. The Flir E8® thermal camera was used to measure the temperature of the orbital area and the values were compared with the CAS scale, exophthalmometry values and thyroid hormone and antibody levels.

Results

Higher values of temperature (p>0.0001), CAS score (p>0.0001), exophthalmometry (p=0.022), FT4 (p=0.0176) and TRAb (p=0.0091) were found in patients in the active phase of TED. Temperature of orbital area showed statistically significant positive correlation with CAS scale (p=0.0001), exophthalmometry values (p=0.0022) and anti-TPO levels (p=0.019).

Conclusion

Thermal camera showed higher values of the temperature of the orbital area in patients in the active phase of the disease and positively correlated with the CAS scale, exophthalmometry findings and anti-TPO levels.

Validation of Modified Hertel Exophthalmometer

Study Design

This is a correlation study.

Objective

The objective was to obtain normative values from modified Hertel exophthalmometer, to compare difference in values between modified and standard Hertel exophthalmometer and to statistically analyze for correlation.

Methods

The study to validate the modification done to Hertel exophthalmometer was performed at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at our institute. Informed consent was obtained from patients; measurement in 100 volunteers was made with Hertel and modified Hertel exophthalmometer by a single observer, and the measurements taken by the 2 devices were tabulated along with variables such as age and gender. Data were collected and statistical analysis was performed to compare and correlate the values between standard and modified exophthalmometer. Differences of ocular protrusion values in gender and age were also calculated.

Results

There has been no statistically significant difference in the normative data between standard Hertel and modified Hertel exophthalmometer and in relation to age and gender.

Conclusions

The modification of the Hertel exophthalmometer is validated and can also be used for relative exophthalmometry to assess the need for treatment and to evaluate the globe position and orbital volume intraoperatively. The proposed modification of the instrument allows it to be used in cases when one of the lateral orbital walls is fractured or displaced due to trauma.

Measurement of Intra-Orbital Structures in Normal Chinese Adults Based on a Three-Dimensional Coordinate System

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

This study was to establish a three-dimensional (3D) coordinate system and to study the normal dimensions of intra-orbital structures in Chinese adults.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

One hundred and forty-five adult Chinese were selected from patients who had undergone cranio-facial computed tomography scans with diagnosis other than orbital or ocular abnormality. An orbital 3D coordinate system was built on the basis of the scans. Morphological variables of intra-orbital structures were measured in this coordinate system. Bilateral symmetry, sexual dimorphism, and correlations between variables were investigated.

RESULTS

No evident laterality was found in bilateral intra-orbital structures. The distance from the center of the eyeball to the prechiasmatic groove, the length of the optic nerve, and the thickness of rectus extraocular muscles were larger in males than in females. No sex-related difference was observed in the anteroposterior diameter of the eyeball or the exophthalmometric value. The exophthalmometric value was found to be related to the anteroposterior diameter of the eyeball, whereas the y-coordinate of the center of the eyeball had no correlation with the anteroposterior diameter of the eyeball. The optic nerve length was closely correlated to the distance from the center of the eyeball to the prechiasmatic groove.

CONCLUSIONS

The 3D coordinate system and measurement method established in this study can be applied to the standardization of orbital morphometry. The measurements obtained from normal Chinese adults may provide reference values for the morphology of intra-orbital structures.

"The influence of orbital vector on involutional entropion and ectropion"

PURPOSE

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of orbital vector and other biometric parameters (i.e. axial globe length, axial globe projection) on the development of involutional entropion or ectropion.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, 167 eyes from 132 patients were included. Of these eyes, 128 had involutional entropion and 39 had involutional ectropion, all of lower lids. The axial globe projection was measured using Hertel exophthalmometry; axial globe length was assessed by A-mode ultrasound; and orbital vector was determined clinically. Patient-specific categorical variables and continuous variables were compared using the chi-square test and the two-sided t test, respectively. Correlations were derived using the Pearson correlation.

RESULTS

The percentage of females was 59% and 33.3% in the entropion group and in the ectropion group, respectively. A significant association was found between the gender and type of eyelid malposition (p = 0.015). Exophthalmometry reading was greater in the ectropion group than in the entropion group (17.7 ± 2.5 versus 10.8 ± 3.7 mm, respectively; p < 0.001). There was no significant correlation between axial globe length and exophthalmometry reading. Positive orbital vectors were observed in 87.5% of eyelids with involutional entropion. Negative orbital vectors were observed in 92.3% of eyelids with involutional ectropion (p < 0.001). Patients with negative orbital vectors showed greater axial globe projection than patients with positive orbital vectors (18.0 ± 2.1 versus 10.6 ± 3.5 mm, respectively; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

There is an association between orbital vector measurement and involutional entropion and ectropion. Measuring the orbital vector may help predict the development of these lid malpositions.

Correlation between Hertel exophthalmometric value and refraction in young Cameroonian adults aged 20 to 40 years

Purpose

To study the relationship between exophthalmometric value (EV) and refractive error in Cameroonian young adults.

Patients and methods

A prospective descriptive study was carried out in the ophthalmic unit of the Yaoundé Central Hospital from March to May 2015. Consenting patients aged 20–40 years with no intraocular pathology who were seen for refractive errors were included. Ocular protrusion was measured using the Hertel exophthalmometer. Automatic refraction was done following cycloplegia with cyclopentolate and tropicamide.

Results

A total of 200 patients were included (68% females and 32% males). The mean age was 27.2±6 years. Hyperopia was the most common refractive error (51%), followed by hyperopic astigmatism (19.3%). EV varied between 9 mm and 23 mm, with a mean of 14.8±2.5 mm in the right eye and 15.0±2.5 mm in the left eye. The mean EVs were 17.10±2.80 mm in myopia, 14.24±1.92 mm in hyperopia, 16.72±2.58 mm in myopic astigmatism, 14.07±2.19 mm in hyperopic astigmatism, and 14.77±2.40 mm in mixed astigmatism. The spherical value had a negative correlation with EV (P=0.0000).

Conclusion

The mean EV of this Cameroonian population is smaller than that of other populations and is consistent with the known characteristic hyperopic status of the population. A study on a larger sample will determine the normative data of absolute and relative EV in our setting.

The Effect of Age, Gender, Refractive Status and Axial Length on the Measurements of Hertel Exophthalmometry

Purpose :

To evaluate the normal distribution of exophthalmometric values in Turkish adult population and the effect of age, gender, refractive status and axial length on globe position.

Methods :

One hundred and twenty-two males and 114 healthy females with age ranging from 18 to 87 years were included in the study. The study population was recruited from patients presenting to our institution for routine refractive examination. Hertel exophthalmometer was used to measure the degree of ocular protrusion. Effect of age, refractive error, interpupillary distance, and axial length on globe position was detected with linear regression analyses.

Results :

The mean Hertel exophthalmometric size was 15.7+2.6 mm (range; 11 to 21 mm). The mean value for males was 16.1±2.6 mm (range; 11 to 21 mm), and for females 15.5±2.6 mm (range; 11 to 20 mm). The mean distance between the lateral rims of the orbit was 102 + 5.1 mm (range; 88 to 111mm). The mean exophthalmometric values were not statistically different in males and females. Age and mean spherical equivalents were negatively correlated with exophthalmometric measurements. Axial length was positively correlated with exophthalmometric measurements.

Conclusion :

The exophthalmometric measurement of the eye is affected by the age, spherical equivalent and the axial length. Standard normative values of the Hertel exophthalmometric measurements should be reevaluated with larger samples.

Parallax-free exophthalmometry: a comprehensive review of the literature on clinical exophthalmometry and the introduction of the first parallax-free exophthalmometer

PURPOSE

To present the first parallax-free exophthalmometer design.

BACKGROUND

Exophthalmometry is an important clinical tool. We provide a historic overview of clinical exophthalmometer designs, and we review current problems encountered in exophthalmometry.

METHODS

We present a new and parallax-free exophthalmometer design that we have evaluated in 49 patients visiting our orbital clinic.

RESULTS

The mean age of the patients was 49.8 years and 72% were female. The Pearson interobserver variation was 0.97, and 94% of the Hertel values measured by the two observers were within the limits (1.6 mm) of agreement.

CONCLUSION

This meter appears to be a reliable instrument for exophthalmometry. It is the first instrument that allows for a complete parallax-free measurement.