Paediatric glaucoma

Glaucoma can also be congenital (present at birth) and must be treated immediately after birth, otherwise the newborn may suffer permanent blindness. In medical terms the disease is called buphthalmia or hydrophthalmia. Causes for this disease are an anomaly or an insufficient development of the iridocorneal angle, resulting in obstruction of aqueous humor outflow. Other anomalies or inflammatory processes are only seldom the cause for this type of glaucoma.

Symptoms are for example light sensitivity, excessive tearing and occasionally cloudiness of the cornea. Unusually large eyes of newborns are also an indication for a congenital glaucoma. During an examination, the ophthalmologist will also identify both the eyeball and the corneal diameter as enlarged. Mostly the intraocular pressure is also increased. A congenital glaucoma normally develops on both eyes within the first years of life.

If there is a suspicion of congenital glaucoma, the intraocular pressure of the patient should be measured immediately (tonometry). This procedure requires anesthesia for newborn infants, since the measuring device is placed in direct contact to the cornea. The diagnosis is mostly guaranteed through this examination.