Glaucoma types





Glaucoma types can be either primary glaucoma and secondary glaucoma.

Glaucoma said to be primary when the cause of the glaucoma is unknown while it is called secondary when there is increase in I.O.P secondary to another ocular diseases.

Primary glaucoma

Primary glaucoma is classified into: primary open angle glaucoma, primary angle closure glaucoma and primary congenital glaucoma.

Primary open angle glaucoma is divided into:

1- primary open angle glaucoma

For more information about primary open angle glaucoma click here

2- Normal pressure glaucoma.

For more information about normal pressure glaucoma click here

Primary angle closure glaucoma is divided into:

1- Acute angle closure glaucoma

2- Intermittent angle closure glaucoma

3- Chronic angle closure glaucoma

4- Latent angle closure glaucoma

Secondary glaucoma

In Secondary glaucoma there will be raise in I.O.P due to ocular diseases. These ocular diseases can be classified into:

1- Pre-trabecular

2- Trabecular

3- Post trabecular causes.

Trabecular meshwork is the part of the eye in which drainage of the aqueous humor outside the eye occur.

1- Pre-trabecular:

Pre-trabecular causes are:

1- With pupil block: inflammation with posterior synechia, occlusion of the pupil either with the I.O.L in case of pseudophakic or vitreous gel in cause of aphakic and due to forward movement of the lens or swelling of the cataract lens..... For more information about pupillary block click here

2- Without pupil block which is due to:

A- changes in the posterior segment.

B-changes in the anterior segment with iris-trabecular contact due to synechial closure of the angle

3- Small eyes

4- Cellular proliferation with angle closure

2- Trabecular causes:

In which there will be trabecular outflow obstruction due to

1- Angle injury

2- Occlusion by cells or materials. Pigmentary glaucoma, pseudoexfoliation glaucoma, phacolytic glaucoma, haemolytic glaucoma, siderosis and tumor infiltration

3- Uveitis

4- Steroid-induced glaucoma

For more information about steroid induced glaucoma click here

3- Post trabecular outflow obstruction:

In which there will be raised in episcleral venous blood pressure. Through those blood vessels the aqueous humor will leave outside the eye to systemic blood vessels. When the pressure is high in those blood vessels, there will be back resistance to aqueous drainage. Examples are carotid-cavernous fistula, sturge-weber syndrome and thyroid eye diseases



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Diagnosis of glaucoma


Angle closure glaucoma Types of angle closure glaucoma Narrow angle glaucoma Pupillary block causes Phacomorphic glaucoma


Other types of glaucoma Congenital glaucoma Malignant glaucoma


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