Racial Differences in Normal Values of Proptosis

Measurement of proptosis was made with a Luedde exophthalmometer by one experimenter in 402 black and 325 white adults without endocrine disease or obvious orbital pathologic conditions. Black subjects had significantly higher values of proptosis than white subjects. It is suggested that the following "upper limits of normal" be used when clinically estimating proptosis: 19 and 21 mm for white female and male patients, respectively; and 23 and 24 mm for black female and male patients, respectively.