Carolinas Centers For Sight

What is Glaucoma? | Open-Angle Glaucoma | Angle-Closure Glaucoma | Pigmentary Glaucoma | Pseudoexfoliation Glaucoma | Inflammatory Glaucoma |  Neovascular Glaucoma

Open-angle Glaucoma

Primary open-angle glaucoma, when no particular reason for blockage of the drainage angle can be found, is the most common form of glaucoma in America and Europe. The risk factors for developing open-angle glaucoma are advanced age, family history of glaucoma, elevated intraocular pressure, highly pigmented skin, myopia (nearsightedness) and systemic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease.

Pigmentary glaucoma is caused by pigment dispersion, a disorder characterized by pigment liberation from the iris epithelium. Onset is at a somewhat early age, developing in 20 to 40 year old patients. A distinguishing feature of pigmentary glaucoma is that the iris tends to have a concave (bowed back toward the lens) configuration.

Pseudoexfoliation glaucoma is a systemic disease characterized by whitish-gray protein deposits on the lens, iris, ciliary and corneal epithelium and trabecular meshwork drain. Accumulations of this protein material decrease aqueous humor outflow and increase intraocular pressure.

Inflammatory glaucoma is a condition with recurrent episodes of markedly high intraocular pressure lasting from a few hours to several weeks. The anterior chamber of the eye becomes inflamed and symptoms include a decrease in vision and blurred vision.

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