Why Is Acute Glaucoma a Medical Emergency?
People who have an acute
glaucoma episode must get to an ophthalmologist or a hospital emergency room promptly to save their vision.
Acute glaucoma attacks are emergencies because aqueous fluid gets trapped in the angle of the eye suddenly. Having nowhere to go, this abrupt backup of fluid causes a sudden increase in eye pressure, which can damage the optic nerve, eventually causing permanent damage.
Symptoms of Acute Glaucoma
The symptoms of acute glaucoma usually surface rapidly. Symptoms of an acute glaucoma attack include:
- Blurred vision
- Halos around lights
- Eye pain sharp enough to induce vomiting
- Nausea
- Reddened eye
- Feeling as if eye could burst (though it can't)
- Sensitivity to light.
Treatment Options for Acute Glaucoma
Emergency procedures for acute glaucoma include using eye drops and clinical eye massage to reduce pressure within the eye (intraocular pressure) and prevent the eye from hardening.
Once stabilized, the patient with acute glaucoma may have
glaucoma laser surgery (called peripheral iridectomy) to create an artificial opening in the iris for aqueous fluid to drain. Acute glaucoma usually attacks one eye before the other, so laser surgery on the unaffected eye may be recommended at the time to forestall a second acute glaucoma attack there.
Risks Contributing to Acute Glaucoma
Regular, thorough eye checkups can detect the risk of acute glaucoma. Risk factors for acute glaucoma include:
- High intraocular pressure
- Family history of glaucoma
- Farsightedness
- Being of Asian descent
- Diabetes.
Once a major acute glaucoma attack seems likely, preventive laser surgery is usually recommended, since an attack can damage the eye quickly.
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