Epicanthic fold
| Epicanthic fold | |
|---|---|
A Korean girl with the skin fold of the upper eyelid covering the inner angle of the eye | |
| Details | |
| Synonyms | Epicanthal fold, epicanthus, eye fold, Mongoloid fold, palpebronasal fold |
| Pronunciation | /ˌɛpɪˌkænθɪk ˈfoʊld/ |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | plica palpebronasalis |
| TA98 | A15.2.07.028 |
| TA2 | 211 |
| FMA | 59370 |
| Anatomical terminology | |
An epicanthic fold or epicanthus is a skin fold of the upper eyelid that covers the inner corner (medial canthus) of the eye. However, variation occurs in the nature of this feature and the presence of "partial epicanthic folds" or "slight epicanthic folds" is noted in the relevant literature. Various factors influence whether epicanthic folds form, including ancestry, age, and certain medical conditions.
The primary cause of the epicanthic fold is the hypertrophy of the preseptal portion of the orbicularis oculi muscle.