Diagnosing glaucoma in pediatric aphakia

Cataracts pose a serious threat to the visual system in infants and children, requiring prompt surgical intervention and rehabilitation to optimize visual development. Glaucoma is a serious complication following cataract surgery in infants and can lead to loss of vision. Early diagnosis of glaucoma, however, can be quite challenging in these patients.

Three cases are presented in which comeal edema was the initial presenting sign that led to the diagnosis of glaucoma during routine contact lens follow-up examinations for pediatric aphakia.

The contact lens practitioner, during the course of management of aphakic infants and children, should always be suspicious of glaucoma as a complication of cataract surgery, and the presenting sign may be corneal edema.