What is Congenital Glaucoma

Also called infantile glaucoma, congenital glaucoma is a rare condition that affects children within the first few years of life. While symptoms can be present at birth, they may also appear from six months to one year after birth. If left untreated, serious vision loss or blindness can result from congenital glaucoma.

Characterized by cloudy eyes that are sensitive to light and prone to excessive tearing, congenital glaucoma is often caused by birth defects that develop from a mother's infection during pregnancy. About 10 percent of children with congenital glaucoma inherit the condition.

While other forms of glaucoma are often incurable once they reach a damaging stage, the symptoms of congenital may be reversed if the disease is detected and treated in a timely fashion. Treatment of congenital glaucoma may begin with medication, in the form of eye drops, to decrease the cloudiness on the cornea and relieve the intraocular pressure that causes nerve damage. Over time, however, the medication may not work and surgery is often required. In many cases of infants with congenital glaucoma, surgery is the first choice of treatment, done immediately to prevent blindness.

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