[Angle closure glaucoma in association with relative anterior microphthalmus (RAM) after premature birth-retinopathy...

The infantile angle-closure glaucoma is a common and well characterized complication of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Progressive shallowing of the anterior chamber by retrolental fibrous masses is mostly responsible for the pressure elevation during the first years of life. Apart of this pathogenesis, ROP-associated glaucoma is totally different in cases that do not manifest until adulthood. Only few cases are described in the literature.

A 36-year-old female patient presented with symptoms of acute intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation and fundus results of a cicatricial ROP stadium II. Control of IOP was not achieved by systemic and topical drug treatment. The biometry showed a relative anterior microphthalmus (RAM) in myopia. After peripheral iridectomy, the IOP normalized and remained stable over a long-time period.

Myopia induction after ROP and ROP treatment often lead to special anatomical conditions corresponding to the classical relative anterior microphthalmus. Shallowing of the anterior chamber and development of angle-closure glaucoma increase with age. Thus, a manifestation not before the third decade of life was a typical finding in the literature review. A detailed recording of history and consideration of the biometric data are of importance for diagnosis. Peripheral iridectomy was found to be the therapy with the highest success rate. The increase of a pupillary block mechanism can prevent further visual loss to the often pre-damaged eyes. Consideration of this entity is crucial in unilateral IOP elevation, because an increasing prevalence of these patients can be expected due to the increase of premature babies since 1970.