Abstract
PURPOSE: Anthropometric parameters related with the periocular region (PR) have gained great importance with the optical technology used in the treatment of eye defects. They have also become important parameters that determine the limits of treatment in aesthetic surgery procedures in PR and the treatment of orbital diseases. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship of PR measurements with somatotype. METHODS: Somatotypes were determined by using the Heath-Carter method. Ten indirect anthropometric measurements, namely nasal root (mf-mf), outer chantal distance (ex-ex), inner chantal distance (en-en), interpupillary distance (p-p), right and left palpebral fissure width (ex-en), palpebral fissure height (ps-pi), and orbital height (os-oi), were taken from PR with Image J program. Kruskal-Wallis H test was used to compare data with each other. Post-hoc Mann-Whitney U test was used to find out which group caused statistically significant differences according to the results of the Kruskal-Wallis H test. RESULTS: A statistically significant difference was found between some indirect anthropometric measurements taken from PR and somatotypes (P < 0,05). This difference was found to result from central group somatotype, in which no somatotype component has different effects from another one, for both genders. In almost all of the indirect anthropometric measurements, it was found that balanced ectomorph somatotypes reached the highest median values, while central group somatotypes had the lowest median values. CONCLUSION: As a result of this study, somatotype affects the appearance of PR. It will be possible to obtain more accurate and reliable results in aesthetic surgery interventions and identification studies. Our study is the first and a pioneer in its field in the literature. It will inspire and guide future researchers, surgeons, anthropologists, and forensic doctors who will work in this field.