We used goniotomy as the initial surgical procedure in 34 patients (50 eyes) with congenital glaucoma. An overall success rate of 88% was achieved with one or more goniotomies. The age at disease onset, level of intraocular pressure, and corneal diameter did not significantly influence the surgical outcome. The refractive error proved to be a valuable indicator of operative success or disease progression. A satisfactory visual outcome was associated with treatment by goniotomy.