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Acute Angle-Closure Glaucoma

Eyes/Ears/Nose/Throat · ~6% of blueprint
Pathophysiology
Sudden blockage of aqueous outflow at the iridocorneal angle → acute rise in intraocular pressure.
Signs & Symptoms
Severe eye pain, red eye, fixed mid-dilated pupil, halos around lights, headache, N/V, decreased vision.
Gold Standard Diagnosis
Gonioscopy confirms a closed angle (definitive); tonometry shows markedly ↑ IOP.
First-line Treatment
Emergent IOP lowering (acetazolamide, topical beta-blocker, pilocarpine) → definitive laser iridotomy.
Drug cardsTimolol (Ophthalmic)Acetazolamide
High-Yield Pearl

Painful red eye + fixed mid-dilated pupil + halos = acute angle-closure glaucoma, a sight-threatening emergency.

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Sources

Reviewed September 2026
  1. Primary Angle-Closure Disease Preferred Practice Pattern (PPP), 2025 — American Academy of Ophthalmology, 2025
  2. StatPearls: Acute Angle-Closure Glaucoma — StatPearls Publishing / NCBI Bookshelf, 2026

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