Predisposing factors for chronic angle-closure glaucoma

Chronic angle-closure glaucoma is the commonest form of glaucoma in Sino-Mongaloid populations. Tt is an anatomical disorder of the anterior segment of the eye characterised by permanent closure of part of the filtration angle as a result of iris apposition to the trabecular meshwork. Two pathways lead to this condition: recurrent pupillary block and "creeping" angle closure. East or Southeast Asian ethnic background is an important risk factor for the development of chronic angle-closure glaucoma. Other demographical risk factors include ageing, female gender and a familial tendency. Eyes with chronic angle-closure glaucoma have different anterior segment anatomical relationships when compared io normals. Those eyes ai risk tend to be hypermetropic with a shallow anterior chamber, a relatively anteriorly positioned lens and a short axial length. The role of the ciliary body anatomy and ciliary processes in the pathogenesis of this condition requires further investigation. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. AII rights reserved.