HFA eyes

The eyes have six aspects to check

  • Shape
  • Size
  • Lids
  • Position
  • Eyeballs
  • Focus

Every time you look at the eyes remember to check each of the six factors. Some eyes will be non-rated on all factors. Some eyes will have three or more rated aspects.

SHAPE

Parameters of measurement

Even and upturned eyes

  • Draw a horizontal dotted line UNDER THE EYE from one canthi to the other. The average (non-rated) eye shape will show as being level or close to level. 
  • Where the outer canthi is higher than the inner the eye is up-turned

Down-turned eyes

* Place a pencil at 12.00 o’clock on BOTH UPPER LIDS. Draw a line to the outer canthi and/or edge of the eye. Where the angle is 45 degrees or more and is a straight/sloped shape the eye is down-turned. The average (non-rated) eye will also fall down to the outer canthi, but it is more rounded and has less of an angle to that point.

TIPS - GENERAL

  • Do not use the smiling photo 
  • Eyes change their shape when a patient smiles 
  • Make sure the head is held straight or the angle may not be accurate 
  • Be careful of folds of skin giving a false impression. Look at the outer edge of the eye. 
    • Top edge – down-turned eyes 
    • Bottom edge – upturned eyes 
  • If both eyes are different do not rate (add in when you get to asymmetry) 
  • Sometimes an inner canthi will droop downwards making the eye look as if it might be upturned – use the inner edge of the inner canthi as your measuring point – not the fold of skin underneath 
  • There should be a definite difference of height between both inner and outer canthi (both sides) for the eyes to be rated up-turned

SIZE (front on photo not smiling)

Tips - Size

  • The size of each eye is chosen in relation to the size of the mouth and nose and the overall size of the face AND their comparative size within the larger community group 
  • It is a visual impression and cannot be measured exactly 
  • Sometimes eyes can look small because the height of the eyeball is small but if you check the width of the eyeball, it is still average – give a non-rating 
  • If the eyes look slightly larger rate them as average

Visibility of the LIDS (front on photo not smiling)

Tips - Lids

  • Full lids cover the eyeball by about one third 
  • Make sure the patient wasn’t blinking when their photo was taken 
  • Check when the eyes are relaxed and not blinking 
  • Any amount less than one third is rated as average 
  • Recessed lids are where the eyelids (more than 80% across the width of the lid) are not visible when the eyes are relaxed 
  • BOTH eyes must have the same feature to be rated. If not make them UNRATED 
  • Add the asymmetry when you get to the asymmetry section

POSITION (front on photo not smiling)

Tips - Position

  • The position of your eyes is chosen in relation to the width of your face 
  • Look at the whole face and the distance from one side of the face across the eyes to the other side of the face 
  • When the eyes are in an average position the three distances 
    • temples to outer eye x 2 
    • inner canthi to inner canthi)
  • = approx the same width

Close set – the distance between the eyes will be much closer than the outer eyes to the temples

Wide set – the distance between the eyes will be further than the outer eyes to the temples (2 x plus wider)

Make sure the hair is pulled back from the face so the full width can be examined. The width between the eyes should be considerably smaller (close set eyes) or considerably wider (wide set eyes) – if it is slightly closer or wider give the position a non-rating

Eyeballs

SHAPE (profile photos – if you have taken these photos at a 90 degree angle the image should be very similar from both sides – if they are different take your photos again)

Tips - Eyeballs

  • The protrusion of the eyeballs is seen most clearly on profile 
  • Some people have very protruding eyeballs (exopthalmic) and this can be seen front on 
  • A slightly rounded shape is average – check the image on profile 
  • If one eye is average and the other protruding do not rate 
  • Look at the eyeballs first – are they rounded outwards? (both of them) 
  • Another version of exopthalmic eyes is where the whole socket is creating a round shape – from the lids through to under the eye

FOCUS of the eyes (front on photo)

Special note

This feature was included in Appearance and Circumstance but dropped in Homœopathic Facial Analysis (HFA). It was dropped because many users of the method were unsure and confused about this feature and because it is relatively uncommon the decision was made to drop it. However, as time has gone by this feature is still observed enough to warrant a mention and when it is seen it is rated one red point, but the feature must be clear. See The HFA Workbook for more information

Tips - Out of focus look

The out of focus or off-centre look is commonly caused by a lazy eye or some other problem generally due to the muscles of one eye. To the observer this can give the patient a cross eyed appearance or the impression that the patient is looking past rather than at you.

  • When both eyes don’t focus in line with one another several looks can occur 
    1. One eye seems to be looking to the side or beyond the person viewing the patient 
    2. One eye seems to be looking inwards 
    3. One eye seems to be looking outwards 
    4. The observer can see the pupils are not lining up – not focusing on a single point