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Abstract #15457 Published in IGR 1-3
Controversies in acute primary angle closure glaucoma in Chinese people
Chew PTK; Aung TAustralian and New Zealand Journal of Ophthalmology 1999; 27: 358-359
Primary angle closure glaucoma is a complex disease. After the acute form a chronic progressive creeping angle closure glaucoma may develop. Patients with chronic angle closure glaucoma on the other hand may develop acute angle closure. There is a high prevalence of angle closure glaucoma in Chinese people. It is a major cause of blindness. If acute angle closure is presented late it will lead to blindness. Unfortunately this happens often in South-east Asia. In a Singapore study the duration between symptoms and presentation was three days. More than 50% of Chinese patients do not respond well to medical treatment alone. Laser iridoplasty is very effective in brown-iris Chinese patients. Laser peripheral iridotomy has to be added. Creeping angle closure often develops even after the iridotomy and /or iridoplasty. This may turn into a serious asymptomatic disease with high pressures. Often they require surgery. The results of surgery, that is filtering surgery, are however disappointing. Better ways of dealing with this disease are necessary.
Dr. P. Chew, Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 10 Kent Ridge Crescent, Singapore 119260; Singapore
Classification:
9.3 Primary angle closure glaucomas (Part of: 9 Clinical forms of glaucomas)
