Congenital glaucoma is a rare eye disease that affects children from birth to age 3, caused by increased pressure inside the eye due to fluid buildup, which can affect the optic nerve and cause blindness if left untreated.
Babies born with congenital glaucoma have symptoms such as cloudy, swollen cornea and dilated eyes. In places where there is no eye exam, it is usually detected around 6 months or even later, making it difficult for the child to have the best treatment and visual prognosis.
- For this reason.
- It is important that the newborn performs the eye test by the eye doctor until the end of the first trimester.
- If congenital glaucoma is confirmed.
- The ophthalmologist may even prescribe eye drops to decrease intraocular pressure.
- But this is done to reduce pressure before surgery.
- Treatment consists of goniotomy surgery.
- Trabecculotomy.
- Or prosthetic implants that drain intraocular fluid.
To treat congenital glaucoma, an ophthalmologist may prescribe eye drops to decrease intraocular pressure before surgery. Surgery is performed by goniotomy, trabecculotomy, or prosthetic implants that drain intraocular fluid.
It is important that an early diagnosis is made and treatment is started, as complications, such as blindness, can be prevented. Learn about the main eye drops to treat glaucoma.
Congenital glaucoma can be identified through certain symptoms such as:
Early diagnosis of glaucoma is complicated because symptoms are considered nonspecific and may vary depending on the age of onset of symptoms and the degree of malformations. However, congenital glaucoma can be identified by a complete eye exam that includes measuring pressure inside the eye and examining all parts of the eye, such as the cornea and optic nerve, for example. Learn more about the glaucoma test.
Glaucoma is usually caused by increased pressure in the eyes, called intraocular pressure. Increased pressure occurs because a fluid called aqueous mood occurs in the eye and, when the eye is closed, this fluid must be drained naturally. When the drainage system does not function properly, fluid cannot be drained from the eye and pressure increases inside the eye.
However, although increased pressure is the most common cause, there are cases where there is no high intraocular pressure and, in these cases, the disease is caused by dysfunction of the blood vessels of the optic nerve, for example.
Learn more about glaucoma diagnosis in the video below: