Long-Term Visual Outcomes in Children with Primary Congenital Glaucoma.

PURPOSE: To determine the long-term visual outcomes and risk factors for visual loss in children with primary congenital glaucoma (PCG) who underwent angle surgery over a 21-year period.

METHODS

This was a retrospective study of patients who underwent trabeculotomy, trabeculectomy, or combined trabeculotomy-trabeculectomy for PCG. Visual acuity (VA), surgeries, and underlying cause of visual impairment were recorded and compared. Main outcome measures were final best-corrected good VA (20/20 to 20/50), moderate VA (<20/50 to 20/200), or poor VA (<20/200); age at surgery, sex, laterality, type of initial glaucoma surgery, and number of surgeries were recorded.

RESULTS

Fifty-three eyes were eligible to be included in the study. The mean logMAR VA was 0.61 ± 0.57. A good VA was attained in 51%, moderate VA in 30%, and poor VA in 19%. The main cause of visual impairment with VA <20/50 was deprivation amblyopia (64%). There was no association between VA level and status of success (controlled with or without medications) (p = 0.202). The mean spherical equivalent of refraction was -4.47 ± 5.66; myopia was the predominant refractive error (74%) and astigmatism >2 D (40%). A statistically significant high myopic shift was more frequent in the visually impaired group. None of the studied factors was statistically associated with moderate to poor visual outcome (all p>0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

A favorable VA outcome was achieved. Topical antiglaucoma medication has an adjuvant role in maintaining the success rate of surgery without risking the visual outcome. Corneal opacification and anisometropia were the cause of amblyopia.