Angle Closure Glaucoma
A sudden, painful rise in eye pressure that can threaten vision within hours -- a true eye emergency, distinct from the slow, silent course of open angle glaucoma.
Seek Immediate EvaluationTold you're at risk for angle closure?
Certain eye shapes -- particularly farsighted eyes and those with narrow drainage angles -- carry a higher risk of an acute attack. If you've been told you have narrow angles, periodic monitoring or a preventive laser procedure may be recommended before any attack occurs.
Sudden eye pain, headache, or halos around lights right now?
These symptoms, especially with blurred vision, nausea, or vomiting, can mean an acute angle closure attack is happening. This needs same-day emergency evaluation -- please seek immediate care rather than waiting for a routine appointment.
What Is It?
Angle closure glaucoma occurs when the drainage angle of the eye — the structure responsible for allowing fluid to leave the eye and regulate pressure — becomes blocked, either gradually or, in an acute attack, suddenly and completely. When this happens suddenly, eye pressure can rise dramatically within hours, causing severe pain, blurred vision, and halos around lights.
This is fundamentally different from open angle glaucoma, which develops silently over months to years with no pain and no early symptoms. Angle closure glaucoma, particularly in its acute form, is a true eye emergency: vision loss can become permanent within hours to days without prompt treatment. Anyone experiencing sudden eye pain, blurred vision, and halos around lights — especially with headache or nausea — should seek emergency evaluation immediately rather than waiting.
Risk Factors
- Farsightedness (hyperopia), associated with shallower eye anatomy
- Naturally narrow drainage angle, often present from birth
- Age over 60
- Family history of angle closure glaucoma
- More common in females and in certain ethnic groups
- Certain medications that dilate the pupil
Symptoms
- Sudden, severe eye pain
- Sudden blurred vision
- Halos around lights
- Headache, often one-sided
- Nausea or vomiting accompanying the eye symptoms
- A red, hard-feeling eye
Treatment
- Emergency Pressure-Lowering Treatment: During an acute attack, urgent medication (drops, oral, or intravenous) is used to rapidly bring down eye pressure and protect vision.
- Laser Peripheral Iridotomy: A small laser opening created in the iris to restore normal fluid drainage -- both the definitive treatment for an acute attack and a preventive measure for narrow angles before an attack occurs.
- Preventive Evaluation of the Other Eye: Since narrow-angle anatomy is usually present in both eyes, the unaffected eye is also assessed and often treated preventively.
This requires emergency evaluation
Unlike open angle glaucoma, which rarely needs same-day attention, an acute angle closure attack can cause permanent vision loss within hours to days if untreated.
- Sudden severe eye pain with blurred vision
- Halos around lights accompanied by headache or nausea
- A red, painful eye that feels unusually firm
Related Conditions
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between angle closure and open angle glaucoma?
Is angle closure glaucoma a medical emergency?
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