Angle-Closure Glaucoma --

Angle-Closure Glaucoma

Think of your eye as a sink in which the faucet is always running and the drain is always open. The aqueous humor is constantly circulating through the anterior chamber. It is produced by a tiny gland called the ciliary body that is situated behind the iris. It flows between the iris and the lens and after nourishing the cornea and lens flows out through a very tiny spongy tissue called the trabecular meshwork. The trabecular meshwork is situated in the angle where the iris and cornea meet. When the drain becomes clogged aqueous cannot leave the eye as quickly as it is produced causing the fluid to back up. But because the eye is a closed compartment the sink doesn t overflow and instead the backed up fluid causes increased pressure to build up within the eye. This is known as open-angle glaucoma.

Angle-Closure Glaucoma is a disease associated with an acute rise in pressure inside the eye. Unlike primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) which affects ninety percent of patients with glaucoma angle-closure glaucoma causes noticeable symptoms. The sudden rise in pressure can occur within a matter of hours and become very painful. If the pressure rises high enough symptoms can include nausea vomiting and blurred vision. The eye becomes red the cornea swells and clouds and haloes around lights may be experienced.

In people with a tendency to angle-closure glaucoma the anterior chamber is smaller than normal. The fluid at the front of the eye cannot reach the angle and leave the eye because the angle gets blocked by part of the iris. This is a medical emergency.