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OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical features and topography of the cornea in eyes with childhood glaucoma. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, observational study. PARTICIPANTS: Fifty-eight eyes with childhood glaucoma and 28 eyes of age-matched controls. METHODS: Clinical and topographic corneal changes were evaluated. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Corneal topographic changes were evaluated on Orbscan (Orbscan Topography System II; Bausch & Lomb, Salt Lake City, UT) in eyes with childhood glaucoma and those changes were compared with the control eyes. RESULTS: Fifty-eight eyes with childhood glaucoma and 28 eyes of age-matched controls were evaluated. Thirty-six eyes (62.1%) were classified as having primary childhood glaucoma and 22 eyes (37.94%) as having childhood glaucoma with associated ocular anomalies. The corneas in 18 of 58 eyes (31.0%) with childhood glaucoma were clear, whereas 24.1% of eyes (14/58 eyes) had some corneal opacification. Haab's striae were noted in 44.8% of eyes (26/58 eyes) and were most frequently present between 3 and 5 mm from the optical axis. The mean posterior elevation recorded in eyes with childhood glaucoma controlled with medication or surgery was significantly higher than that in control eyes: 0.043±0.027, 0.042±0.017, and 0.018±0.058 μm, respectively (P < 0.0001). The presence of Haab's striae was correlated significantly with a higher posterior elevation (P = 0.0396) and poor vision. The mean anterior elevation in eyes with childhood glaucoma (0.022±0.015 μm) and in control eyes (0.015±0.078 μm) was comparable (P = 0.08). Corneal astigmatism in eyes with childhood glaucoma was significantly higher and irregular compared with that in control eyes: 2.09±1.40 versus 0.93±0.60 diopter cylinder (P = 0.0001); the irregularity index was 2.8 (range, 1-18.1) and 2.3 (range, 0.6-2.3) at 3 mm (P = 0.0005) and 3.2 (range, 1.4-21.3) and 1.8 (range, 0.5-2.9) at 5 mm, respectively (P = 0.0003). Best-corrected visual acuity correlated significantly with cup-to-disc ratio, axial length, refractive error, astigmatism, and posterior corneal elevation. Multivariate analysis showed a significant correlation only with cup-to-disc ratio and axial length. CONCLUSIONS: Childhood glaucoma causes a significant increase in posterior corneal elevation and irregular astigmatism, which contribute to visual disability in such eyes.
Glaucoma Research Facility and Clinical Services, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India. Electronic address: patilbharat10@gmail.com.
Full article9.1.2 Juvenile glaucoma (Part of: 9 Clinical forms of glaucomas > 9.1 Developmental glaucomas)
2.2 Cornea (Part of: 2 Anatomical structures in glaucoma)