Acute Angle-Closure Glaucoma
Medical Author:
Robert J Noecker, MD
Coauthor:
Lauri Graham
Medical Editor:
Richard W Allinson, MD
Medical Editor:
Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD
Medical Editor:
Robert H Graham, MD
Acute Angle-Closure Glaucoma OverviewAcute angle-closure glaucoma is caused by a rapid or sudden increase in pressure inside the eye, called intraocular pressure (IOP). In angle-closure glaucoma, the iris (the colored part of the eye) is pushed or pulled up against the trabecular meshwork (or drainage channels) at the angle of the anterior chamber of the eye. When the iris is pushed or pulled up against the trabecular meshwork, the fluid (called aqueous humor) that normally flows out of the eye is blocked and cannot drain out, thereby increasing the IOP. See Multimedia files 1-2. If the angle closes suddenly, symptoms are severe and dramatic. Immediate treatment is essential to prevent optic nerve damage and vision loss. If the angle closes intermittently or gradually, angle-closure glaucoma may be confused with chronic open-angle glaucoma, another type of glaucoma. In the United States, fewer than 10% of glaucoma cases are due to angle-closure glaucoma. In Asia, angle-closure glaucoma is more common than open-angle glaucoma. Certain races (eg, Asians, Eskimos) have narrow angles and, thus, are more likely to develop angle-closure glaucoma than whites. Angle-closure glaucoma among American Indians is lower than among whites. In whites, angle-closure glaucoma is 3 times higher in women than in men. In blacks, men and women are affected equally. As people age, the lens of the eye enlarges and pushes the iris forward, thus increasing the risk for angle-closure glaucoma. Viewer Comments & ReviewsAcute Angle-Closure Glaucoma - SymptomsThe eMedicineHealth physician editors ask:What were your symptoms of acute-angle-closure glaucoma? |
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Acute Angle-Closure Glaucoma
What is glaucoma?
Glaucoma is usually high pressure inside the eye that damages the optic nerve and can result in permanent vision loss. Not all 3 criteria (that is, high pressure inside the eye, optic nerve damage, and vision loss) are required to diagnose glaucoma; however, a diagnosis of glaucoma is certain when all 3 criteria are present.
What causes high pressure inside the eye?
High pressure inside the eye is caused by an imbalance in the production and drainage of fluid in the eye (aqueous humor). The channels that normally drain the fluid from inside the eye do not function properly or are blocked. More fluid is continually being produced but cannot be drained because of the improperly functioning or blocked drainage channels. This results in an increased amount of fluid inside the eye, thus raising the pressure.
Another way to think of high pressure inside the eye is to imagine a water balloon. The more water tha...
Read What Your Physician is Reading on Medscape
Glaucoma, Angle Closure, Acute »
Angle-closure glaucoma (ACG) is a condition in which the iris is apposed to the trabecular meshwork at the angle of the anterior chamber of the eye.
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