epicanthus

epicanthus /epi·can·thus/ (-kan´thus) a vertical fold of skin on either side of the nose, sometimes covering the inner canthus; a normal characteristic in persons of certain races, but anomalous in others.epican´thalepican´thic

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epicanthus

[ep′ikan′thəs]

Etymology: Gk, epi + kanthos, lip of a vessel

a vertical fold of skin over the angle of the inner canthus of the eye. It may be slight or marked, covering the canthus and the caruncle. It is a hereditary trait in Asian people and is of no clinical significance. Some infants with Down syndrome have marked epicanthal folds. Also called epicanthal fold, epicanthic fold. epicanthal, epicanthic, adj.

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epicanthus

a vertical fold of skin on either side of the nose.

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epicanthus

A condition in which a fold of skin that stretches from the upper to the lower eyelid partially covers the inner canthus. It is normal in the fetus, in Down's syndrome and in many infants, especially of oriental origin, where it may give the impression of a convergent strabismus (pseudoesotropia). The condition is normally bilateral. As the bridge of the nose develops, the folds eventually disappear. Syn. epicanthal fold. See apparent strabismus.