To measure the enophthalmos corrective effect after inferior orbital wall reconstruction, we compared preoperative and intraoperative exophthalmometric values with postoperative exophthalmometric values.

From January 2014 to April 2016, 60 eyes of 60 patients who underwent surgery for inferior orbital wall fracture were included. In Group 1, the exophthalmometric value was measured before surgery, during the operation, and 6 months after surgery using the Naugle exophthalmometer. In Group 2, the value was measured before surgery and 6 months after surgery using the Hertel exophthalmometer. The thickness of implants was determined by preoperative exophthalmometric values and overcorrection of 0.5 mm was performed in Group 1 patients with relatively large fractures.

The mean age of the patients was 32.4 years in Group 1 and 34.3 years in Group 2. The mean duration between injury and surgery was 4.2 weeks in Group 1 and 2.3 weeks in Group 2. There was no statistically significant difference between preoperative exophthalmometric values in Group 1 (−1.78 ± 0.31 mm) and Group 2 (−1.81 ± 0.26 mm), but postoperative exophthalmometric values between Group 1 (−0.25 ± 0.78 mm) and Group 2 (−0.53 ± 0.46 mm) were statistically different ( p = 0.034).

The exophthalmometric values and wall fracture size are important factors for determining implant thickness of inferior orbital wall reconstruction. Intraoperative measurement of exophthalmometric values should be considered in inferior orbital wall reconstruction for enophthalmos correction.