In a method and apparatus for measuring a property of a transparent tubular object, a laser beam scans the object, and laser light originating from the object is detected in a first detection direction parallel to the laser beam direction, or in the first and in a second detection direction at an angle thereto, in particular at 90°. The inner radius of the object may be calculated from the refractive index, scanning speed, outer diameter detected in the first detection direction, and, in the second detection direction, the time difference between laser light reflected from the outer surface of the object and laser light refracted into the object and reflected at the inner surface thereof. If the time of detecting laser light refracted into the object and reflected at the inner surface thereof in the first detection direction is known, the refractive index is not required.