ABSTRACT

In this study we aimed to determine the relation-ship between corneal diameter and glaucoma developing after childhood cataract surgery. Forty-two eyes of 28 patients who had or had had cataract surgery in childhood were retrospectively evaluated with respect to the development of glau-coma. Patients who were or had been operated before the age of two and were followed regularly were included in the study. Corneal diameters at the time of cataract surgery and when glaucoma was diagnosed were evaluated. The relationship between corneal diameter and development of glaucoma was determined. Ten of 42 eyes were with smaller corneal diameters when compared to normal corneal diameter values for their age at the times of the surgery and last check up. Glaucoma was detected in seven eyes of seven patients (7/42; 16.6%). Five of 10 patients (50%) with small corneal diameters developed glaucoma, whereas only two of the 32 eyes (6.3%) with normal corneal diame-ters did (p<0.001). Angle closure glaucoma and open angle glaucoma were diagnosed in four and three of the patients, respectively. All the patients with angle closure glaucoma had been operated in the first four months of life, and the mean corneal diameter was 7.5 (seven, seven, eight and eight) mm. Corneal diameter in one of the patients with open angle glaucoma was smaller when compared with the normal corneal diameter values of his age, wheras the other two open angle glaucoma patients' corneal diameters were normal in size. The earliest time for the development of angle closure glaucoma was four days while the latest time was sixty months postoperatively. Open angle glau-coma developed after a mean period of 44 (37, 46 and 49) months. Corneal diameters of all children who undergo cataract surgery should be measured, and cases with small corneal diameters should be followed closer for the development of glaucoma.