This is the most common type of glaucoma. Patients often have no symptoms but the eye pressure is often found to be raised during a routine eye test.
Primary Open Angle Glaucoma (POAG) has no identifiable cause.
Secondary Open Angle Glaucoma can be caused by certain eye conditions (eg pseudoexfoliation, pigment dispersion syndrome, uveitis, trauma, steroid response) can cause secondary glaucoma.
Risk factors for POAG include :
Family history of glaucoma
Age (more common with age)
Race (African, Asian or Caribbean origin more common)
Gender (more common in men)
Systemic disease (eg diabetes, hypertension)
The symptoms of open closure glaucoma depend on the cause and severity of the increase of intraocular pressure:
Most people with primary open angle closure have no symptoms.
Increasing pressure can damage the optic nerve, initially affecting peripheral vision. Driving may become more difficult, only noticing hazards when they are in the centre of the field of vision.
The lack of obvious symptoms highlights the importance of regular eye checks, by optician or ophthalmologist, to detect increased intraocular pressure, reduced field of vision and narrow drainage angles.
Elevated intraocular pressures can be controlled by:
Either a single drop or a combination of drops
Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT)
Cataract surgery alone, Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery (MIGS), Trabeculectomy, Filtration (Tube) Surgery
