Risk factors for blindness in children with primary congenital glaucoma - follow-up of a registry cohort.

Abstract Purpose The aim of this study was to evaluate the baseline features associated with blindness in a cohort of children with primary congenital glaucoma (PCG) from a hospital registry. Methods Setting: Observational cohort study Design Retrospective clinical cohort study Study population The registry included all children who presented to our tertiary care institute between 1995 and 2014 with a diagnosis of childhood glaucoma. Observation procedure Baseline characteristics at initial presentation of children with PCG in the registry who were blind at the last follow-up, were compared with those who were not blind, using bivariate and then multivariate regressions to account for potential confounders. Main outcome measures Blindness was defined as a best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of 3/60 (20/400) or worse in the better eye at final follow-up. Results The eligible sample consisted of 196 children with a mean age of 9.54 ± 22.44 months at presentation. After a mean ± SD follow-up of 8.49 ± 3.85 years, 20 (10.2%) children were blind. The baseline demographic factors, IOP, horizontal corneal diameter, spherical equivalent, axial length, and corneal thickness was similar for ‘blind’ and ‘not blind’ groups (p>0.05). In the multivariate regression, only the severity of corneal opacification remained significantly (p Conclusion Corneal clouding is a predictor of future blindness in children with PCG. Children with severe corneal clouding may need more aggressive intraocular pressure control, closer follow-up and earlier counselling.