About Acute Closed Angle Glaucoma Treatment

Acute closed angle glaucoma can affect an otherwise healthy person suddenly and with severe consequences. Because of the immediate nature of the damage done to the affected eye, a majority of the solutions to this problem are surgical.

Identification

• Acute closed angle glaucoma is a condition that causes sudden pressure in the eye and can lead to severe pain, headaches, and blurred vision. If this condition is not treated immediately it could result in permanent blindness. An attack of acute closed angle glaucoma can happen suddenly to a person who has never experienced symptoms of the condition before. An attack of acute closed angle glaucoma should be considered a medical emergency, and the person suffering from it should be rushed to a hospital immediately.

Iridotomy

• A standard treatment for acute closed angle glaucoma is to use laser surgery to place a microscopic hole in the iris which allows the excess fluid that has built up in the eye to drain. This is referred to as an iridotomy. There are also eye drops given to the patient that help lower the pressure in the eyes by encouraging the draining process through the microscopic hole, and through the natural drainage system in the eye.

Filtration Surgery

• If the eye does not respond to an iridotomy then a different type of surgery referred to as filtration surgery may need to be performed. This is a form of microscopic surgery that is used to open up new drainage paths in the eye that are designed to allow the excess fluid to drain from the eye and reduce the pressure. This is not a form of laser surgery.

Gonioplasty

• Prior to conducting a full iridotomy, the doctor may choose to first reduce the pressure in the eye by performing what is known as a laser gonioplasty. In this procedure the doctor will place two small burns on the iris, and this will cause the iris to flatten which opens up the angle and allows some draining of the excess fluid to begin.

Medications

• To help the eyes drain prior to any surgery being performed, a doctor will usually prescribe a regiment of eye drops used to help reduce the fluid level in the eye. These medications do that by opening up the natural draining parts of the eye and allowing fluid to pass. Some of these medications include beta-blockers and epinephrine based compounds such as Propine.