Pediatric Glaucoma and Use of Drainage Implants

Glaucoma in childhood is vision threatening disease. The initial management mainly involves surgery, and both goniotomy and trabeculotomy have been shown to have high rates of success for primary congenital glaucoma. Even in the best hands, some 15-20% initial procedures fail. For most secondary glaucomas and primary pediatric glaucomas refractory to angle surgery, medical therapy is frequently unsuccessful. In these cases, surgeons are confronted with a choice of what procedure to do next. Classification, symptoms, and diagnostics of childhood glaucoma are mentioned in first descriptive part of book. Authors describe the initial surgical methods in the treatment of primary congenital glaucoma, options of medical therapy and the alternatives surgical options in refractory cases. Authors present glaucoma drainage implants in more details. The experimental study evaluates the clinical course, effectiveness and safety of Molteno and Baerveldt implants in a large group of primary and secondary pediatric glaucomas refractory to conventional surgery, with a long-term follow up. The book is intended for the professionals in ophthalmology.