Acute angle-closure glaucoma definition - medical term
Increased pressure in t he front chamber
(anterior chamber) of the eye due to sudden (acute) blockage of the normal circulation
of fluid within the eye. The block takes place at the angle of the anterior chamber
formed by its junction of the cornea with the iris. This angle can be seen by simply
looking at someone's eye from the side. Angle-closure glaucoma tends to affect people
born with a narrow angle. People of Asian and Eskimo ancestry are at higher risk
of developing it. Age and family history are risk factors. It occurs in older women
more often than others.
When the pupil of the eye is wide open (dilated), the iris is retracted and thickened
and it block the canal of Schlemm, a key component of the drainage pathway for fluid
within the eye. Blocking the drainage canal of Schlemm sends the pressure within
the eye shooting up. There is an abrupt increase in intraocular pressure (IOP) due
to the buildup of aqueous (fluid) in the eye. The high pressure can damage the optic
nerve (the nerve to the eye) and lead to blindness. The elevated pressure is best
detected before the appearance of symptoms. That is why when the eyes are dilated
in a doctor's office for a refraction, eye pressures are checked. When symptoms
of acute angle glaucoma do develop, they include severe eye and facial pain, nausea
and vomiting, decreased vision, blurred vision and seeing haloes around light. The
eye in a far advanced case of angle closure glaucoma appears red with a steamy (clouded)
cornea and a fixed (nonreactive) dilated pupil. Acute angle-closure glaucoma is
an emergency because optic nerve damage and vision loss can occur within hours of
the onset of the problem.
Administering medications to lower the pressure within the eye is done first.
In the past, a piece of the iris was then surgically removed in a procedure called
an iridectomy to make a hole in the iris and create a channel (other than the canal
of Schlemm) to permit the free flow of fluid. Today a comparable procedure can be
done by laser to burn a small hole in the iris to keep the intraocular pressure
within normal limits.
Common Misspellings: acute angle-closure glacoma, acute angle-closure glocoma
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