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Patient education: Angle-closure glaucoma (The Basics)

Patient education: Angle-closure glaucoma (The Basics)

What is angle-closure glaucoma? — 

Glaucoma is a disease that damages the main nerve in the eye, called the "optic nerve." There are 2 types of glaucoma. Angle-closure glaucoma is the less common type. The more common type is called "open-angle glaucoma."

Glaucoma is usually caused by pressure inside the eye. Angle-closure glaucoma happens when the fluid-draining system in the eye gets blocked. This causes eye pressure to rise quickly. It is different from open-angle glaucoma, which happens when eye pressure builds up slowly.

Angle-closure glaucoma is also called "narrow-angle glaucoma."

What are the symptoms of angle-closure glaucoma? — 

The symptoms include:

Vision loss

Seeing halos around lights

Headache

Very bad eye pain

Nausea and vomiting

Redness in the white part of the eye

Swelling and cloudiness in the colored part of the eye

Should I see a doctor or nurse? — 

Yes. See an eye doctor right away if you have symptoms of angle-closure glaucoma. If you cannot get an appointment, go to the emergency department. If glaucoma is not treated, it can lead to vision loss and even blindness.

Is there a test for angle-closure glaucoma? — 

Yes. To check for angle-closure glaucoma, doctors can use a few different tests. They can:

Look into the back of your eye with a magnifying tool to check for signs of nerve damage

Use a special tool to measure the angle at the opening where fluid drains from the eye

Check how well you see things in the center of your field of vision, and how well you see things that are off to the side

Check the pressure inside your eye by pushing or blowing on your eye with a special tool

How is angle-closure glaucoma treated? — 

Treatments work by lowering the pressure inside the eye. They include:

Medicines – These are usually given as eye drops. Sometimes, the medicines are given as pills or through a thin tube that goes into a vein, called an "IV."

Laser therapy – This helps fluid drain from the eye.

Surgery – This involves making a small opening or inserting a tiny tube in the eye so that fluid can drain better.

People with angle-closure glaucoma should not take certain medicines. These include some prescription medicines and some you can buy without a prescription, for example, certain cold and allergy medicines. Ask your eye doctor about what medicines you can take.

How can I prevent angle-closure glaucoma? — 

Angle-closure glaucoma is more common in some families. If you have a family history of this condition, get regular eye exams, especially after middle age. If you have angle-closure glaucoma, tell your relatives (children, brothers, or sisters) that they should be tested.

More on this topic

Patient education: Open-angle glaucoma (The Basics)
Patient education: Age-related vision loss (The Basics)
Patient education: How to use eye medicines (The Basics)
Patient education: Anesthesia for elective eye surgery (The Basics)

This topic retrieved from UpToDate on: May 11, 2025.
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