Primary infantile glaucoma in an Australian population.
BACKGROUND
Primary infantile glaucoma presents rarely, but can be responsible for significant visual morbidity. There is little information on the clinical features and visual outcome of a pure population of primary infantile glaucoma, as opposed to a mixed population of primary and secondary glaucoma or combined group of those with trabeculodysgenesis and iridotrabeculodysgenesis.


METHODS
We conducted a retrospective review of children with primary infantile glaucoma seen in south-eastern Australia between 1980 and 2000, using The Royal Children's Hospital ophthalmic diagnostic coding database.


RESULTS
Fifty-one patients with primary infantile glaucoma were identified (83 eyes). This equates to an estimated incidence of approximately 1 in 30,000 births. The mean +/- SD age at presentation was 135 +/- 84 days. 'Burnt-out' disease (megalocornea without raised intraocular pressure) was diagnosed in 10.8%. Goniotomy was the most commonly performed surgical procedure (69.4% of 72 eyes). Surgical success with one or two goniotomies was achieved in 74% of eyes. Visual outcomes at final review were generally good with 61.8% reading 6/12 or better. There were a disproportionately high number of children having a final recorded acuity of <6/60 in the group diagnosed in the first 3 months of life.


CONCLUSIONS
Primary infantile glaucoma is a rare ocular condition in this population that presents at a mean age of 4.4 months. Surgical and visual outcomes are generally favourable.
MacKinnon
Jane R
JR
Department of Ophthalmology, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Giubilato
Antonio
A
Elder
James E
JE
Craig
Jamie E
JE
Mackey
David A
DA
D017677:Age Distribution; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000151:congenital* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014129:Trabecular Meshwork / Q000601:surgery; D014792:Visual Acuity