OCULAR GROWTH AFTER SUCCESSFUL GLAUCOMA SURGERY IN THE FIRST-YEAR OF LIFE - FOLLOW-UP DATA FOR PRIMARY CONGENITAL GLAUCOMA

Background Echographic biometry of the ocular axial length is a helpfu l criterion in diagnosis and follow-up of primary congenital glaucoma. However, quantitative assess ment of ocular growth following successf ul primary glaucoma surgery in the first year of life is hardly to fin d in literature. Patients and Methods In 36 eyes from 21 patients (mea n age 4.4 +/- 2.4 months) with primary congenital glaucoma A-scan biom etry was performed under general anesthesia before and 7.2 +/- 4.2 mon ths following successful primary glaucoma surgery and retrospectively summarized. Results Preoperative axial length was 21.7 +/- 2.5 mm, pos t operative axial length was 22.4 +/- 1.6 mm. Ocular growth was signif icantly stronger in eyes with a preoperative axial length < 20 mm (p = 0.0012) and in children younger than 3 months at surgery (p = 0.0004) . Conclusions Preoperative axial length and age are basic factors for the interpretation of ocular growth following glaucoma surgery in prim ary congenital glaucoma. Temporary cessation of ocular growth is a fre quent finding after successful pressure-reducing surgery in eyes with axial length > 22 mm and in children aged 3 months or older.