2020–2021 BCSC Basic and Clinical Science Course™
10 Glaucoma
Chapter 11: Glaucoma in Children and Adolescents
Primary Congenital Glaucoma
Differential Diagnosis
The extensive differential diagnosis of PCG is presented in Table 11-8. PCG should be considered in the differential diagnosis of epiphora in children. PCG is a relatively rare disease and may go undetected or be misdiagnosed by primary care doctors and general ophthalmologists. Mild cases may be misdiagnosed as nasolacrimal duct obstruction, resulting in a delayed PCG diagnosis and irreversible damage. Physicians must be vigilant in their examination and urgently refer infants presenting with the classic triad of epiphora, photophobia, and blepharospasm to a specialist. Left untreated, almost all cases of PCG will progress to blindness.
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.