Children under 10 years of age develop glucoma with steroid eye drops: AIIMS Delhi
Children under 10 years of age are developing glucoma using unsafe steroids eye drops. AIIMS doctors warned that this could lead to irreversible blindness without early detection and treatment.

Amaims Delhi has recorded cases of children below 10 years of age and has highlighted from glucoma dry areas, doctors have held it responsible for prolonged use of steroid-based eye drops for treatment of ocular allergies without supervision.
About half of these cases reach the hospital in advanced stages of glaucoma, stressing the requirement of prudent and supervised use of such eye drops.
Dr. Tanuj Dada, Professor-Prabhari of the glaucoma unit at RP Center for ophthalmology, insisted that any prolonged use of steroids could cause blindness from glucoma.
Steroids used in various forms such as eye drops, skin creams, nasal inhaler, tablets and injections can increase intraocular pressure causing damage to the optic nerve.
“The main cause of undesirable glucoma in children is the unrestricted use of steroid i drops for chronic allergic conjunctivitis. Every month at AMS RP Center, we suffer from 10-15 years of age children from 10-15 years of age to dry areas and rural areas such as Rajasthan and Haryana from the advanced stages of steroid-induced glossa.”
When children in these areas develop redness and eye irritation due to dust and pollen, they go to a local village doctor who determines steroid-based eye drops that reduce symptoms for time.
“But when the symptoms resurves, they again take the drops of the eye and use them without any supervision that leads to the development of glaucoma” Dr. Dada explained.
As there are no symptoms of glaucoma in the beginning, these children often exist in very advanced stages with severe visual loss or even blindness, they said.
Similarly, inhalers used for asthma, chronic lung conditions and allergic rhinitis and sinusitis may have increased eye pressure and the disease may also spoil glaucoma in patients already affected.
Even short -term use of such inhalers is especially dangerous in patients already having glucoma, as it can make their condition more complicated, Dr. Dada said.
He said that the glaucoma that usually develop adults develops after 40 years and those who have family history of diabetes, high blood pressure and heart diseases or any history of trauma to the eyes is more risk, he said.
R&R Hospital Professor and Head Brigadier Dr. Sanjay K. Mishra, Delhi warned against the use of dermatological steroid creams to obtain the fair skin and using steroid injections for the manufacture of muscles between athletes, it suggests that it can be a very serious type of glucoma.
Dr. Mishra said, “Creams used on the face and around the eyes that contain steroids can cause glucoma and people should be very careful.”
Steroid-based eye drops and creams should never be used without a qualified doctor’s prescription, insisting.
Dr. Dada further stated that an increase in stress hormone called cortisol may also increase intraocular pressure, causing oller high blood pressure.
In addition, in such cases, medical medical care focus on breathing can play an important role in reducing stress and reducing intra-orcharble pressure, he said.
Doctors said that patients taking steroids in any form for more than six weeks should be examined for glaucoma.
Dr. Dada said, “Glucoma is a silent thief of vision because it moves without symptoms, regularly makes eye tests important, especially for more than 40 people or with risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension, or family history of the disease,” Dr. Dada said.
Emphasizing the need for lifetime care, he said, “Once diagnosed, one should use eye drops for life. Stopping treatment can lead to further vision loss. New laser treatment and surgery can help, but unlike cataract surgery, glucoma surgery only preserves the remaining vision; what is lost; what is lost.” Professor and Officer of Community Eye Sciences at RP Center. Praveen Vashist highlighted the need for nationwide screening.
Dr. Vashist said, “Most people with glaucoma do not know that they have this. We need more awareness and screening programs at the primary care level,” Dr. The Vashist said that AIIS conducts 21 vision centers offering AI-based glucoma detection tests, saying that demanding the expansion of such facilities across India.
He also emphasized that early detection of glaucoma and starting treatment is important to prevent blindness from the disease.