CORTICOSTEROID RESPONSE IN DOMINANT CONGENITAL GLAUCOMA

Abstract

The parents of 6 children with goniodysgenesis and hereditary infantile congenital glaucoma were tested with corticosteroid eye-drops. Their response on provocation demonstrated a clear trend: In 5 families 1 parent of each couple responded with a tensional rise of 9 mmHg or more, whereas the other parent responded with a rise of 9 mmHg or less. Of the 6 parents with the greater response, 5 had glaucoma in their ancestry and displayed a distinct goniodysgenesis. Hereditary infantile congenital glaucoma may be caused by a dominant goniodysgenesis with varying expressivity. The high corticosteroid response in the families may be correlated to this goniodysgenesis. The inherited corticosteroid response is not a specific genetic trait confined to families with simple glaucoma.