Normally, glaucoma affects individuals after 40-50 years of age, but it may occur in younger ages.
Juvenile glaucoma affects teenagers or young adults and its signs and symptoms are very similar to adult glaucoma. However, juvenile glaucoma may be considered more visual threatening as IOP levels tend to be higher and also, as the disease onset is early in life, there is a need to preserve the optic nerve for a much longer period of time.
Therefore, although it is not a common disease, all individuals attending an ophthalmological check up should undergo IOP measurement and optic disc evaluation.
