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Those Big Beautiful Eyes

Raising Awareness of Childhood Glaucoma

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Know the signs of Childhood Glaucoma

Childhood Glaucoma is a rare but serious condition which can often go unrecognized by parents and their healthcare team.

Knowing the signs and symptoms of childhood glaucoma can help ensure children are tested sooner, so that cases of congenital and childhood glaucoma can be caught sooner.

Catching congenital and childhood glaucoma at an early stage can help prevent avoidable vision loss.

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A baby with big blue eyes and wearing red pajamas looks at the camera.

What is childhood glaucoma?


An infant whose eyes have clouded over due to glaucoma.

Childhood glaucoma is a rare progressive condition in which fluid in the eye, called aqueous humour, does not drain properly and causes an increase in intraocular pressure.

If the fluid cannot be drained from the eye, the sustained increase in intraocular pressure can cause damage to the optic nerve, leading to permanent and irreversible vision loss.

Childhood glaucoma is frequently caused by developmental defects in the eye. These structural abnormalities makes managing childhood glaucoma difficult. The drainage angle is often irregular which makes it difficult for the aqueous humor to drain from the eye.

Children from both genders, and of all nationalities, can be affected by childhood glaucoma.

Childhood glaucoma is commonly treated through medication, such as eye drops, or surgery. 

Glaucoma is a progressive condition which requires lifelong monitoring and treatment.

Signs and Symptoms of Childhood Glaucoma

The signs and symptoms of childhood glaucoma in the first few years of life include:

Enlarged Eyes (one or both eyes)

Sensitivity to Light / photophobia

Cloudy Eyes

Excessive Tearing

Decreased Vision

If you notice anything unusual with your child’s eyes, please take them to see an optometrist, ophthalmologist, pediatrician, or family doctor for an immediate evaluation.

“It took for the pressure’s in my son’s eyes getting so high that his corneas cracked and everything fogged over, before his doctor finally took me seriously.”

– Eliza, whose son Warren was diagnosed with glaucoma as an infant

Our Stories

Larkin

My son Larkin was 2 months old when he was diagnosed with Congenital Glaucoma. It all started when he had a very fussy and a…

Continue Reading Larkin

Zoe

Our baby girl is the most beautiful baby girl ever… not because she is our daughter but she is. When she was born she had…

Continue Reading Zoe

Junie

My daughter Junie is 14 years old, and was born with congenital glaucoma and nystagmus. She was diagnosed in an orphanage in China within the…

Continue Reading Junie

Michael

Michael appeared perfectly normal at birth. By the time he reached his one-week old appointment he had noticeable broken blood vessels in both eyes. The…

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Scarlett

My daughter, Scarlett, was born with bilateral congenital cataracts (BCC).  I knew to have her checked after birth due to myself having been born BCC-…

Continue Reading Scarlett

Ashtyn

My daughter was diagnosed with glaucoma when she was eight years old. When she was younger, she had bilateral congenital cataracts that were removed, leaving…

Continue Reading Ashtyn

Ethan

Sunday, April 9, 2017 my son, Ethan, woke up with red, watery eyes and I thought maybe he had gotten something in them the night…

Continue Reading Ethan

Maria

I first noticed that Maria’s eyes were different when she was five weeks old. She was starting to open her eyes a little more frequently…

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Read More Stories
An 11 month old boy is laying down and recovering from surgery. A white patch is over his right eye.

Has your child been diagnosed with glaucoma?

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How You Can Help

Spread the Word

Talk to others about childhood glaucoma, and how to recognize the signs and symptoms.
Check out and share our resources.

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Donate to Research

Your donation will help us to advance research into better treatments for childhood glaucoma. Read more about our goals.

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Get Involved

We need your help! Whether you’re a parent or advocate, ophthalmologist, researcher, or healthcare provider, there are lots of ways to get involved.

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About This Website

This website has been built by a community of parents, clinicians, and scientific researchers who are dedicated to raising awareness and advancing research into treatments for childhood glaucomas. 

Our vision is to identify more effective treatments to better manage childhood glaucoma and prevent vision loss caused by childhood glaucoma.

Our mission is to create a network of patients, clinicians, and researchers who are dedicated to advancing research and pursuing better treatments for childhood glaucomas.

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This website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of an ophthalmologist or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

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