No genes influencing oculometric phenotypes have yet been identified, despite it being well known that eye morphometry is involved in refraction and that genetics may play an important role. We have therefore performed a heritability analysis and genome-wide search (GWS) of biometric ocular traits in an isolated Sardinian population, assessing the genetic contribution and identifying the associated genetic loci. A complete eye examination including refraction and ocular biometry measurements such as axial length (AL), anterior chamber depth (ACD) and corneal curvature (CC), was performed on 789 subjects. Heritability analysis was carried out by means of parent–offspring regression and variance component models. Univariate and bivariate linkage analysis was performed by using 654 microsatellite markers spanning the genome. CC showed a mean heritability of 57%. AL and ACD were found to have significantly different variances (P