Symptoms of Acute Closed Angle Glaucoma

Acute closed angle glaucoma (also known as acute angle-closure glaucoma) is a type of glaucoma characterized by a dangerously rapid increase of the pressure within the eye. The symptoms are sudden and severe, and if you do not get medical help quickly, the risk of permanent optic nerve damage and irreversible vision loss is acute.

Identification

• Glaucoma is an eye disorder in which the optic nerve is damaged by an increase in intraocular eye pressure. Also known as chronic, or primary open-angle, glaucoma, this disorder has no symptoms and you can suffer from glaucoma for years without being aware of the problem. If left untreated, however, it will result in irreversible loss of vision.

  While acute closed angle glaucoma is also caused by an increase in intraocular eye pressure, it is a sudden onset disorder that results in painful and uncomfortable symptoms.

Definition

• Acute closed angle glaucoma occurs when the space between the cornea and the iris of the eye decreases enough to cause the iris to block the normal intraocular fluid flow through the eye toward its drainage site. When the fluid cannot properly drain, the intraocular eye pressure can spike dramatically, causing damage to the optic nerve.

  The iris' abnormal position in the eye can be caused by a number of factors: it can be pushed or pulled forward within the eye by changes in the lens or pupil, often simply due to aging; it can also be caused by an eye tumor or other disease.

Symptoms

• The symptoms of acute closed angle glaucoma are severe. They include extreme eye pain; vomiting; blurry vision, often with haloes visible around lights; and intense headaches. Both eyes or only one may be affected. It is also common for the affected eye to tear excessively.

Treatments

• Acute closed angle glaucoma must be treated immediately to prevent as much optic nerve damage as possible. A laser procedure, known as a peripheral iridectomy, is, at this time, the most effective and rapid treatment for the condition. In this procedure, a laser is used to create an opening in the iris to allow fluid within the eye to reach the drainage site more easily.

Risk Factors

• There are a number of risk factors that make you more likely to develop acute closed angle glaucoma. These include farsightedness, age (the elderly suffer from the disorder more often), gender and race. Women are more likely to develop the condition, and Asians and Eskimos suffer from the disorder at a much higher rate than any other race.