Question:
What is the difference in hereditary glaucoma and glaucoma in elders? I have family members that were born with glaucoma and their children have developed glaucoma as well. One child, a boy was born with glaucoma and the girls developed it as adults.

Answer:
One of the primary risk factors for glaucoma is family history.  Therefore, a genetic predisposition to glaucoma that runs in families is common.  How glaucoma presents within a family, however, is quite variable among different individuals.  How a particular trait or gene presents within different members of a family is called "expression."  Within the family described, the genetic predisposition to glaucoma is being expressed differently in different individuals.  Generally, the younger the age at which glaucoma presents the higher the eye pressure and the more difficult it is to treat compared to older individuals.  In your family there appears to be a strong genetic predisposition to glaucoma. Therefore, it is important for everyone to be sure they see an Eye M.D. early in life and then be checked on a regular basis.

Answered by:
Louis B. Cantor, MD

Categories:
Eye Conditions; Eye Diseases

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