What is acute angle closure glaucoma? If the eye doctor tells you that you have glaucoma, that’s not really the whole story. Glaucoma is a medical term that can mean different things. That one word covers different kinds of illnesses that raise the pressure inside the eye. When that pressure goes up, the doctor knows you have glaucoma but not why you have it. The next step is to pin down the why and for some patients, the answer is acute angle closure glaucoma. Once you know what the problem is, you and your eye doctor can discuss the acute angle closure glaucoma treatment guidelines, so you’ll feel better and can see again.
Understanding Acute Angle Closure Glaucoma
In this article:
- What Is Acute Angle Closure Glaucoma?
- What is the Cause of Acute Angle Closure Glaucoma?
- What are the Acute Angle Closure Symptoms?
- What is the Treatment for Acute Angle Closure Glaucoma?
What Is Acute Angle Closure Glaucoma?
If you break down the words, you get a better understanding of this condition. Glaucoma means the pressure in the eyeball is high. Inside the ball that makes up the eye are two kinds of fluids: vitreous humour and aqueous humour. The job of these fluids is to give the eye its shape and keep the other parts of the eye like the lens in the right place. A rise in pressure changes the way the eye works.
Acute angle closure describes why the pressure is high inside the eye. The eye has a series of ducts that allow the fluid to move around and drain. Acute angle closure glaucoma means there is an angle in the cornea, that’s the clear coating around the eyeball, that pushes it close enough to the iris, the colored part of the eye, to block one of these ducts and prevent aqueous humour from draining. When the fluid doesn’t drain, the pressure inside the eye goes up and will cause damage to the nerve between the eye and the brain over time.
What is the Cause of Acute Angle Closure Glaucoma?
If you turn the faucet on in your sink and then block drain, the water will eventually overflow. With acute angle closure, it’s like someone is blocking the drain in your eye, but the water has no place to go, so the eyeball just keeps filling up and will start to bulge. The reason for the clog varies from person to person. For some, it has to do with the way their eye is made. Just like some sinks seem to clog easily, their eyes block without warning.
People who get this disease might notice the symptoms when they are upset or if the light is making it hard to see. Sometimes certain kinds of medication cause the problem.
What are the Acute Angle Closure Symptoms?
The symptoms come on fast with this form of glaucoma and include:
- Pain in and around the eye
- Redness in the eye
- Blurred vision
- Light halos
- Headaches
- Stomach aches
- Vomiting
The eye can look hazy to other people, too.
What is the Treatment for Acute Angle Closure Glaucoma?
It is important to see an eye doctor if you have symptoms. The sooner you start the treatment, the better because the longer you wait, the more likely it is that there will be damage. First, the doctor will work to lower the pressure in the eye with medication. Eye drops can keep the body from making more fluid and reduce the swelling. Some drops make the pupil, that’s the black spot in the middle of the eye, smaller to open up the duct.
Once the pressure is down, the doctor will want you to consider surgery to protect your vision. They use a laser to make a hole in the iris that works like a second drain. That hole allows fluid to move easily and keeps the pressure inside the eye down.
Watch this video by Natural – Home Remedies to know some home remedies for glaucoma:
Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness in this country. This form of it is treatable if you see the doctor before there is damage. Without treatment, you risk losing your eyesight in that eye.
Do you know someone with acute angle closure glaucoma? What medication are they taking? Share your stories in the comments section below!
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