title: Corneal thickness in congenital glaucoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare central corneal thickness between eyes with congenital glaucoma and normal controls and to correlate this parameter with corneal diameter and axial length.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eyes of consecutive children with congenital glaucoma with previous glaucoma surgery and eyes of children with inadequacy of lacrimal drainage system with age less than 3 years old were examined under inhalatory general anesthesia. Complete ophthalmologic examination, central corneal thickness, axial length, and corneal diameter measurements were performed. All patients presented with intraocular pressure (IOP) less than 21 mm Hg and no clinical sign of corneal edema.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-five eyes of 55 patients (30 congenital glaucoma and 25 controls) were examined (mean age = 16.6 +/- 10.6 months; 20 female/ 35 males). There was no significant difference in age and gender between glaucoma patients and normal subjects. Mean IOP was higher in glaucomatous eyes (P = 0.02). Corneal diameter and axial length between glaucomatous eyes and controls were significantly different (P < 0.0001 for both). Central corneal thickness was significantly thinner in glaucomatous eyes (P = 0.01). There was a significant correlation between corneal diameter and central corneal thickness and also between central corneal thickness and axial length (r2 = 0.32 and r2 = 0.18, respectively; P < 0.0001 for both).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Central corneal thickness was significantly thinner in children with congenital glaucoma. This finding may be another confounding factor when measuring IOP in those patients. Pachymetry should be considered during their examination.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of São Paulo and Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marta Junqueira
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Henriques
authors.forename: Roberto Murad
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Vessani
authors.forename: Frederico Augusto Costa
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Reis
authors.forename: Geraldo Vicente
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: de Almeida
authors.forename: Alberto Jorge
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Betinjane
authors.forename: Remo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Susanna
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001837:Body Weights and Measures; D003315:Cornea / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000151:congenital*; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D008297:Male