Corneal anomalies in newborn primary congenital glaucoma

This report describes the corneal pathology in an infant with newborn primary congenital glaucoma and discusses whether these findings could be due to a developmental anomaly. The corneal specimen of a 4-month-old infant with newborn primary congenital glaucoma and cloudy corneas who had undergone penetrating keratoplasty was evaluated by light and electron microscopy. Light microscopy showed a thinned epithelium, areas of thickened Bowman's layer (approximately 27 mum thick) interspersed with nuclei, and a thickened and disorganized stroma. Descemet's membrane was intact, and the endothelium was mildly attenuated. The corneal changes seen in this patient may be specific to primary congenital glaucoma and may contribute to the corneal clouding seen so frequently in these patients.