Unit 9: Red Eye
12: Acute Angle Closure Glaucoma
Anatomy & Physiology
Image source: Drawing of the Eye. Credit: National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health. CC-BY-2.0. Image rotated, cropped and labels added.
Normal Flow of Aqueous Humor
Aqueous humor is produced by the ciliary body in the posterior chamber. It circulates to the anterior chamber, through the pupil and leaves the eye through the trabecular meshwork.
Image source: Drawing of the Eye. Credit: National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health. CC-BY-2.0
Physiology
A narrow angle means the iris is pushed forward, blocking the trabecular meshwork.
There is also a 'pupil block', where aqueous humor fails to pass through the pupil and drain out through the trabecular meshwork.
The resulting, often severe elevation of intraocular pressure can damage the optic nerve (glaucomatous optic neuropathy) causing severe and permanent vision loss.
