Eye Trauma in Children Can Cause Glaucoma

Glaucoma, which is generally known as an adult disease, can also develop due to childhood traumas. Our specialist, pointed out that eye trauma may lead to the onset of glaucoma damage in the long term and vision loss may occur if it progresses.

Glaucoma, which occurs due to increased intraocular pressure (IOP), is an important problem that progresses insidiously. However, the point that increases the importance of glaucoma is that the rising IOP causes permanent and irreversible damage to the optic nerve. After blunt or penetrating eye injuries, glaucoma may occur due to the destruction of the outlet channels. Yeditepe University Hospitals Ophthalmology Specialist said, “Damage to the eye caused by glaucoma is irreversible. However, treatment can be performed to protect the existing healthy tissues. It is an important condition and it should be treated as early as possible.”

How is the Treatment Approach?

While bleeding is partially cleaned by the body, it can be partially controlled by surgical cleaning of bleeding. Prof. Dr. Ilgaz Yalvaç pointed out that secondary glaucoma can easily develop by progressing insidiously in cases where eye examination of children cannot be performed regularly, especially after injuries that occur in childhood, and gave the following information about the treatment approach: “Treatment of post-traumatic glaucoma is applied medically and surgically. Topical steroids for intraocular hemorrhages reduce inflammation. However, their effectiveness on recurring bleeding is not certain. At the same time, bed rest and closing the affected eye also provide rapid recovery. When glaucoma occurs, it is necessary to add medications that reduce eye pressure. In cases where intraocular pressure cannot be controlled in the long term with medical treatment, laser, and various glaucoma surgeries are among the treatment choices.”

Parents Have a Great Responsibility

Yeditepe University Hospitals Ophthalmology Specialist Prof. Dr. Ilgaz Yalvaç said that parents have an important role in reducing traumas in childhood, and listed his suggestions as follows:

“The first precaution to be taken in this regard is that piercing and cutting tools should not be given to children as toys. Since a significant part of eye traumas occur as a result of sports activities, it is also important to use protective glasses during sports. We recommend that families apply to an ophthalmologist when they encounter eye trauma and have the child examined.”

The Success of Treatment Depends on Early Diagnosis

Glaucoma, which usually occurs over the age of 40, usually progresses insidiously over the years. Early diagnosis is important, as there is no return after vision loss in glaucoma, and it does not give any symptoms of the disease during this period. Prof. Dr. Ilgaz Yalvaç said that the increase in intraocular pressure detected during a normal eye examination is the first symptom of the disease and continued as follows: “Regular examinations are the right way for early diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma. Narrow-angle glaucoma is another type of glaucoma that occurs more rarely with a crisis in advanced ages. It creates a picture characterized by severe eye pain, decreased vision, redness of the eye, nausea, and vomiting. It requires urgent treatment. In addition, in glaucoma observed in infancy and childhood, eye enlargement, watering, and sensitivity to light are observed. Damage to the eye caused by glaucoma is irreversible. However, treatment can be performed to protect the existing healthy tissues. It is an important condition, and it should be treated as early as possible.”

Success of Treatment Depends on Early Diagnosis

Glaucoma, which usually occurs over the age of 40, usually progresses insidiously over the years. Early diagnosis is important, as there is no return after vision loss in glaucoma, and it does not give any symptoms of the disease during this period. Prof. Dr. Ilgaz Yalvaç said that the increase in intraocular pressure detected during a normal eye examination is the first symptom of the disease and made the following statement: “Regular examinations are the right way for early diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma. Narrow-angle glaucoma is another type of glaucoma that occurs more rarely with a sudden crisis in advanced ages. It creates a picture characterized by severe eye pain, decreased vision, redness of the eye, nausea, and vomiting. It requires urgent treatment. In addition, in glaucoma observed in infancy and childhood, eye enlargement, watering, and sensitivity to light are observed.”

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