Visual field defects in children with congenital glaucoma.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Pediatric Ophthalmology
• Visual Science

Background:

• Congenital glaucoma is a rare but severe condition affecting infants and children.
• Visual field defects are a common complication, impacting long-term vision.
• Understanding these defects is essential for timely intervention and management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and characterize visual field defects in a cohort of children diagnosed with congenital glaucoma.
• To compare visual field characteristics between children with congenital glaucoma and age-matched healthy controls.

Main Methods:

• Monocular visual fields were assessed using a Goldmann perimeter in 13 children (4-14 years) with congenital glaucoma and 10 healthy controls.
• Visual fields were measured across 24 meridians using various stimulus sizes (V4e, I4e, I2e, I1e).
• Localized visual field defects were identified based on abnormal findings or ocular shape.

Main Results:

• Significant constriction of visual field extent was observed for the I2e target in both unilateral and bilateral congenital glaucoma cases compared to controls.
• Specific visual field defects, including nasal steps and arcuate scotomas, were predominantly found in bilateral congenital glaucoma cases.
• Paracentral scotomas were identified in one bilateral case, nasal steps in six, and arcuate scotomas in four eyes.

Conclusions:

• Approximately 37.5% of eyes with congenital glaucoma exhibited localized visual field defects.
• Early therapeutic intervention for congenital glaucoma appears to correlate with improved visual field outcomes.