Pachymetry

The role of pachymetry in the diagnosis and management of pediatric glaucoma is unclear. The average central corneal thickness (CCT) is 540–560 μm in children without glaucoma. CCT is lower than average in eyes with congenital glaucoma and in children with Down syndrome; CCT is higher than average in eyes that have had surgery for congenital cataract and in individuals with aniridia. It is also slightly higher in premature infants but decreases as the infant ages. The effect of CCT on the accuracy of IOP measurements in these groups is unclear, and nomograms cannot accurately be used to “correct” IOP measurements for differences in CCT measurements.

• Bradfield YS, Melia BM, Repka MX, et al; Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group. Central corneal thickness in children. Arch Ophthalmol. 2011;129(9):1132–1138.

Excerpted from BCSC 2020-2021 series: Section 10 - Glaucoma. For more information and to purchase the entire series, please visit https://www.aao.org/bcsc.