Acute Narrow-Angle Glaucoma: Symptoms and Emergency Treatment
Acute angle-closure glaucoma is a medical emergency that can quickly cause permanent vision loss. Sudden severe eye pain, a red eye, blurred vision, halos or nausea need immediate medical attention. Call an eye doctor now. If you cannot reach a doctor immediately, go to the nearest emergency department. Do not wait for an online appointment.
Symptoms of an acute angle-closure attack
In acute narrow-angle glaucoma the drainage angle closes completely and pressure inside the eye rises violently. The patient can lose permanent vision very rapidly and can go completely blind in hours or days. This is one of the few true ocular emergencies in eye care.
Symptoms can include severe eye pain, a red eye and nausea. Many patients also describe a sudden headache, blurred vision and coloured halos around lights. The pain is often severe enough that people present to an emergency room rather than an eye doctor.
Do not wait for a routine appointment. Call (813) 908-2020 and describe what you are experiencing. If you cannot reach an eye doctor immediately, go to the nearest emergency department.
- Severe eye pain and a red eye.
- Nausea or vomiting alongside the eye pain.
- Sudden blurred vision and halos around lights.
- Headache that came on with the eye symptoms.
How an acute attack is treated
Treatment aims to lower eye pressure promptly and address the blockage. Your ophthalmologist will determine which medicines or procedures you need.
Call, do not wait
Tell the doctor about sudden eye pain, halos, nausea or blurred vision. If you cannot reach an eye doctor immediately, go to the nearest emergency department. Do not wait for an online booking response.
Immediate pressure check
Pressure is measured and the eye is examined. In an acute attack, pressure is typically far above normal.
Medication to lower pressure
Drops and oral or intravenous medication are used to bring the pressure down quickly and clear the cornea enough to treat the angle.
Gonioscopy
Once the eye is clearer, your doctor examines the drainage angle directly to confirm closure and plan the laser.
Laser peripheral iridotomy
A tiny laser opening in the iris relieves the blockage and reopens the pathway for fluid. Follow-up care is needed to check eye pressure and determine whether further treatment is necessary.
The other eye
Narrow angles are usually a bilateral trait, so the fellow eye is examined and very often treated preventively before it has an attack.
Frequently asked questions about acute angle closure
Is acute angle-closure glaucoma an emergency?
Yes. It is one of the few true ocular emergencies in eye care. Permanent vision can be lost very rapidly, and complete blindness can follow within hours or days without treatment.
What does an attack feel like?
Symptoms can include sudden severe eye pain, a red eye, nausea, headache, blurred vision or halos around lights. Seek immediate medical attention for sudden symptoms; do not wait for every symptom to appear.
What should I do right now?
Seek medical attention immediately. Call (813) 908-2020 and describe your symptoms. If you cannot reach an eye doctor immediately, go to the nearest emergency department. Do not wait for an online appointment or booking response.
Why does the pressure rise so fast?
The drainage angle closes completely, so fluid the eye is still producing has nowhere to go. Pressure climbs within hours rather than years, which is why the damage is so quick.
How is it treated?
Treatment may include medicines to lower eye pressure and a laser peripheral iridotomy to create an opening in the iris for fluid flow. Your ophthalmologist will determine the treatment and follow-up care you need.
Will my vision come back?
Vision lost to optic nerve damage does not return. How much you keep depends heavily on how quickly the pressure was brought down, which is the whole reason speed matters here.
Will my other eye have an attack too?
Narrow angles are usually a bilateral anatomical trait, so the fellow eye is at real risk. It is commonly treated preventively with a laser iridotomy before anything happens.
Can medications trigger an attack?
Some medications can dilate the pupil and precipitate closure in an eye with a crowded angle. If you have been told you have narrow angles, mention it before starting any new medication.
Five Convenient Florida Locations
Sebring
4211 US Highway 27 NSebring, FL 33870(863) 385-1544
Carrollwood
13904 N Dale Mabry Hwy, Ste 200Tampa, FL 33618(813) 908-2020
South Tampa
113 S Armenia AveTampa, FL 33609(813) 908-2020
Brooksville
14543 Cortez BlvdBrooksville, FL 34613(352) 596-4030
Gainesville
2521 NW 41 StGainesville, FL 32606(352) 377-7733
Sudden symptoms need immediate care
Sudden eye pain with halos, nausea or blurred vision needs immediate medical attention. Call (813) 908-2020. If you cannot reach an eye doctor immediately, go to the nearest emergency department. Do not wait for an online appointment.