[Corneal edema in young glaucoma patients (author's transl)]

In 26 out of 32 eyes of young glaucoma patients the cornea was clear even where IOP was elevated. In six eyes the cornea was opaque, even where the pressure increase was only moderate. The difference in the aqueous production in the two groups (2.40 +/- 0.86 and 0.62 +/- 0.07 mm3/min) was significant (p 0.001). The corneal edema in the glaucomatous eyes was due to the effect of the high IOP disturbing endothelial function and the disturbance of corneal nutrition, which in turn was caused by the reduction in aqueous production.