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 (also called "narrow-angle 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.

What are the symptoms of angle-closure glaucoma? — The symptoms include:

●Vision loss

●Seeing halos around lights

●Headache

●Very bad eye pain

●Feeling sick (nausea) and throwing up (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. You should 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 for angle-closure glaucoma 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 – Laser therapy helps fluid drain from the eye.

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

People with angle-closure glaucoma who have not had laser therapy or surgery should not take certain over-the-counter medicines. Taking them might cause the problem to come back. These medicines include:

●Medicines to treat cold and allergy symptoms

●Medicines to treat motion sickness

What can I do to prevent angle-closure glaucoma? — Angle-closure glaucoma is more common in some families. If you have a family history of this condition, be sure to 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: Anesthesia for elective eye surgery (The Basics)
Patient education: How to use eye medicines (The Basics)