In infantile or congenital glaucoma, eye pressure is elevated at birth. Or, it starts to climb within the first months of life. It is a rare condition that may affect one or both eyes. It seems to run in some families.
Babies with congenital glaucoma dislike bright lights and sunlight and tend to have a lot of tearing. They may also appear to have big eyes or one eye that is bigger than the other. In some cases the cornea (the clear front part of the eye) may be cloudy.
The primary treatment for congenital glaucoma is surgery. The procedure has a high success rate.
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Nice To Know: In babies under age 3, the increased pressure will actually stretch the eye, which is why it is sometimes referred to as buphthalmos, or ox eyes. |
