Influence of Age on the Temperature of the Anterior Segment of the Eye

The absolute temperatures of five characteristic points of the orbito-ocular thermogram were studied by means of infrared thermometry in a group of 96 normal subjects, randomly selected between ages from 15 days to 80 years. Significant differences were found between older and younger age groups concerning absolute temperatures of the centre of the cornea, limbus, sclera and outer canthus. Inner canthus temperature showed very little variation with age, being the most constant thermometric point of the five selected for study. Mean absolute temperatures of the anterior segment of the eye and outer canthus measured by infrared thermometry significantly decreased with age. To the best of our knowledge this finding has not been previously reported.