Congenital Glaucoma Symptoms: Causes, Prevention And Treatment

Congenital glaucoma is a condition present at birth caused by a defective or imperfect development of the outflow channels of the eye. Because of this birth defect, pressure gradually increases within the eyeball leading to progressive damage to the optic nerve and eventually losing vision.

Symptoms can be noticeable a few months after birth, such as:

• Cloudy eye.
• Enlargement of the eye (one or both eyes).
• Red eye.
• Sensitivity to light.
• Tearing.

How Is Glaucoma Caused?

When the fluid or the aqueous humor within the eye does not properly drain, pressure increases and pushes on the optic nerve junction and the retina.

This will cause a reduced blood supply towards the optic nerve, which is responsible for carrying visual information to the brain. Because of the loss of blood supply, the nerve cells will progressively die and the deterioration of the optic nerve. In the course of deterioration, which happens in the late stage of congenital glaucoma, development of symptoms will be observed in the following phases:

• Development of blind spots.
• Side vision or peripheral vision is affected.
• Central or front vision deteriorates.
• Blindness, if congenital glaucoma remains untreated.

Prognosis Of Congenital Glaucoma

The goal of congenital glaucoma treatment is primarily to bring down the intraocular pressure.

This type of glaucoma is treated with surgery in opening the outflow channels or the anterior chamber angle to bring down the pressure. The surgery is performed while the patient is under an anesthesia and asleep so that it will be painless. Just like other forms of glaucoma, the early diagnosis of congenital glaucoma is important so that treatment may be done right away. An early surgical operation on the patient will be better so that there will be no more problems and complications in the future.

Prevention Of Congenital Glaucoma

Congenital glaucoma cannot be prevented but vision loss caused by the condition can be prevented through early diagnosis and cautious management. Most patients suffering from glaucoma are not even aware that they have one not until it is in the late stage. Everybody should have an eye examination once they reach the age of forty and every five year after that. You need to check with an eye specialist if there is a history of glaucoma in the family to be screened for chronic glaucoma. And you have to watch out for symptoms like severe pain in the eye or sudden vision loss particularly peripheral vision.

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