Background No population-based assessment of the prevalence and incidence of pediatric glaucoma in China are available. Here we describe the spectrum of hospitalized pediatric glaucoma patients in Beijing Tongren Hospital in China. Methods We reviewed the charts of pediatric patients, from birth to 18 years old, with a discharge diagnosis of glaucoma in Beijing Tongren Hospital, from 2002 to 2008. All children were admitted for anti-glaucoma surgery, treating the sequelae of the glaucoma, or managing postoperative complications. We evaluated the demographic characteristics and the proportion of different glaucoma subtypes. Results Pediatric patients (n=1452) accounted for 12.91% of the total glaucoma in-patients from 2002 to 2008, and at last data of pediatric glaucoma were presented for 1055 children who came from 28 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions in China. Boys were more common in all subtypes and at all ages, with a total ratio of boys to girls of 2.32:1. Congenital glaucoma was the most common subtype, accounting for 46.07% in all patients and accounting for 69.95% in children under 3 years of age. The median presenting age of congenital glaucoma patients was 2 years. Patients with traumatic glaucoma were the second most common group (n=128, 12.13%), and presented at older age (the median presenting age was 11 years). The majority of traumatic glaucoma occurred in children between 10 and 15 years of age (n=72, 56.25%). Aphakic glaucoma was the third most common (9.19%) subtype. Conclusions Congenital glaucoma is the most prevalent glaucoma subtype in hospitalized pediatric patients in Beijing Tongren Hospital. The prevention and treatment of traumatic glaucoma can reduce the incidence of visual damage in developing countries. Close follow-up for glaucoma is important after pediatric cataract surgery. Chin Med J 2009,-122(10):1162-1166