Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma

Abstract

Primary open-angle glaucoma is associated with an open anterior chamber angle by gonioscopy (American Academy of Ophthalmology Glaucoma Panel: Preferred Practice Patterns, Primary open-angle glaucoma. The American Academy of Ophthalmology, San Francisco, 2015). It is the most common form of glaucomatous acquired loss of optic nerve fibers (Quigley HA, Broman AT, Br J Ophthalmol 90: 262-267, 2006) and often has a hereditary predisposition. It is generally a bilateral disease, although its severity may be asymmetric in the two eyes. This optic nerve damage may be detected in the appearance of the optic disc or nerve fiber layer and/or the presence of characteristic defects in the visual field (American Academy of Ophthalmology Glaucoma Panel: Preferred Practice Patterns, Primary open-angle glaucoma. The American Academy of Ophthalmology, San Francisco, 2015). A description of the condition including epidemiology, risk factors, inheritance, pathogenesis, clinical findings, differential diagnosis, management, clinical course, and future direction is discussed.