Narrow Angles

Narrow angles between the iris and pupil in your eyes are a significant risk factor for narrow-angle glaucoma. Arun Joseph, MD, and his highly skilled colleagues at Dallas Glaucoma Specialists in Allen, Texas, provide expert narrow-angle diagnosis and glaucoma treatment. They use advanced techniques like iridotomy laser surgery to reduce eye pressure and prevent sight loss. Call Dallas Glaucoma Specialists or book an appointment online today for unrivaled narrow-angle management.

What are narrow angles?

Narrow angles describe abnormal anatomy in the drainage angle at the front of your eye. The drainage angle is where aqueous humor (fluid inside your eyeball) drains from the eye.

If you have narrow angles, your iris (the colored area around the pupil at the center of your eye) and cornea (the clear front part covering the iris and pupil) are too close together.

This narrow angle prevents aqueous fluid from leaving the eye. Because your eye continually produces new aqueous to replace the old, pressure in the eyeball increases if the fluid has nowhere to go.

The result is high eye pressure, which can lead to glaucoma. This condition is the leading cause of sight loss.

What is narrow-angle glaucoma?

Narrow-angle glaucoma (also known as acute angle-closure glaucoma or closed-angle glaucoma) occurs when you have narrow angles. It’s far less common than open-angle glaucoma (where the drainage angle is wide but suffers a blockage), accounting for no more than 10% of cases.

Narrow-angle glaucoma has two forms:

Acute narrow-angle glaucoma

Acute narrow-angle glaucoma is a sudden closure of the drainage angle. It causes immediate symptoms that typically include:

• Severe eye and head pain
• Nausea
• Red eyes
• Blurred vision
• Mid-dilated pupil
• Halos around lights
• Sudden loss of vision

You experience these symptoms because your eye pressure rises considerably very quickly.

Chronic narrow-angle glaucoma

Chronic narrow-angle glaucoma has the same cause as the acute type (narrowed drainage angles) but develops slowly. It can damage the optic nerve over a long period, often without causing obvious symptoms.

What treatment would I need for narrow angles?

If your eyes’ narrow angles increase eye pressure, Dallas Glaucoma Specialists offers several treatments that reduce your risk of glaucoma. These include:

Eyedrops

Eyedrop medicine is typically the first glaucoma treatment patients use. Some eye drops lower eye pressure by reducing aqueous fluid production. Others work by helping aqueous flow through the drainage angle.

Laser surgery

Laser surgery for angle-closure glaucoma is called an iridotomy. Your Dallas Glaucoma Specialists ophthalmologist creates a tiny hole in your iris with laser (light) energy that helps aqueous flow from the drainage angle.

Lens removal

Some people with narrow angles benefit from lens removal. Like cataract surgery, lens removal involves extracting your eye’s natural lens, creating more space for fluid to drain from the eye.

Call Dallas Glaucoma Specialists to arrange an evaluation for narrow angles or request an appointment online today.