Open Angle Glaucoma

Open angle glaucoma

        This glaucoma is often more insidious, because there is no acute attack. The person will see a loss of peripheral vision in particular. Consistently after 40 years, the ophthalmologist will measure the intraocular pressure. Most open-angle glaucoma are detected incidentally as well. This has diagnostic value. The examination shows normal,open iridocorneal angle and not likely to close during the contraction of the iris. In this case, there is no indication of drugs. The main risk is the atrophy of the optic nerve and vision loss.

        Treatment is essentially medical. There are several families of drops that can be associated with them. These drops reduce the production of aqueous humor. Most eyestrain are well standardized. If unsuccessful, we may try the laser trabeculoplasty. This procedure provides 30% immediate success that turn into 50% failures after 5 years. Finally, we could have a trabeculectomy. This intervention removes the intraocular fluid under the conjunctiva.

Types of Glaucoma

        Open angle glaucoma. Accounting for 80% to 90% of cases, this type of glaucoma is formed slowly without causing symptoms, over a period of time ranging from 10 to 20 years. The "angle" in question is formed by the junction between the iris and cornea. It's called the iridocorneal anfle Usually, both eyes are affected. One important warning signs is the gradual increase of pressure inside the eye. Normally, it should not exceed 21 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). The intraocular pressure is detectable by a vision test.

        Angle closure glaucoma. More rarely, it occurs following a sudden increase in pressure in the eye. It is a medical emergency. It gives rise to an extreme eye pain and other noticeable symptoms, such as a low vision and colored haloes around lights. Intraocular pressure may rise to 80 mmHg. Usually, such attacks happen at night when lighting is diminuated and the pupils dilate. If this type of glaucoma is not treated quickly, the person may become blind. If treated early, the risk of blindness is greatly reduced. The narrow-angle glaucoma strikes first and usually only one eye, then the other is affected in five years in the absence of adequate supervision.
Two factors are required before a crisis occurs:

• An anatomical predisposition;
• Dilation of the pupil after a long stay in the darkness, stress or use of a drug which dilates the pupil, such as antispasmodics, antihistamines, antidepressants and nitrates.

        Congenital glaucoma. It can occur at birth or take a few months to occur. Most often, it affects both eyes. Sometimes hereditary, it can be an isolated problem or explained by a congenital eye (usually a congenital cataract) or certain rare diseases. In this case also, it is blocking the exit of aqueous humor.