Glaucoma is a disorder that can lead to loss of vision and blindness. Although increased age is a risk factor for glaucoma, the condition also affects approximately one in 8,000 children in the U.S., notes the Glaucoma Research Foundation. Sometimes the cause of glaucoma in children is accidental, while in other cases the condition already exists at birth.
Hereditary Causes
In congenital or primary infantile glaucoma, hereditary causes underlie the disorder. A baby may have the condition at birth, or it may develop during childhood. In this rare condition, an inherited defect in the eye obstructs the normal flow of aqueous fluid out of the eye, explains Merck Manuals Online Medical Library. The defect leads to increased pressure within the eye, which damages the optic nerve.
A recessive gene causes about 33 percent of the cases of congenital glaucoma, according to Children's Hospital Boston. This means that the child must inherit one gene from each parent in order to have the condition. The gene is autosomal, meaning that it affects girls and boys equally. When both parents carry the gene, the chances are one in four that they will have a child with the disorder.
Trauma or Surgery
Infants and children might develop glaucoma as a result of trauma to the eye. Non-penetrating blunt trauma, such as a blow to the eye, can cause glaucoma. This type of trauma to the eye occurs more often in boys. Other types of injury that might cause glaucoma include penetrating trauma, electrical or thermal injury, or chemical injury due to exposure to acidic or alkaline substances, note Dr. Thom Zimmer and colleagues in the medical reference text "Clinical Pathways in Glaucoma."
Some surgical procedures, including cataract surgery, keratoplasty, and several types of retinal surgery, may cause injuries that result in glaucoma in children.
Medications or Other Medical Conditions
The American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus mentions that medications, such as steroids, may cause childhood glaucoma. According to Glaucoma Australia, diseases that can cause glaucoma in children include Sturge-Weber syndrome, which is a type of birthmark on the face sometimes linked to epilepsy and glaucoma, and an eye, skin and nerve disorder known as neurofibromatosis type 1.
References
- Glaucoma Research Foundation: Glaucoma Can Strike At All Ages--Even Newborn Babies
- Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals: Primary Infantile Glaucoma
- Children's Hospital Boston: My Child Has Glaucoma
- Glaucoma Australia: Glaucoma in Older Children and Adolescents
- American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus: Glaucoma in Children
