Acute Angle-Closure Glaucoma: Diagnosis and Treatment

Angle-closure glaucoma that occurs spontaneously may be acute or subacute (see Chapter 25). In both types, the sole cause of rise in pressure is closure of the angle, but the clinical manifestations are somewhat different. In acute angle-closure glaucoma, symptoms appear suddenly and dramatically. In subacute angle closure, symptoms are less intense and dramatic and tend to resolve spontaneously. With recurrent episodes, permanent areas of synechial closure may develop. Hence, in the sense that episodes tend to recur and angle changes tend to evolve without intervention, there is some chronicity to the condition.