Study: Eyes with acute angle-closure glaucoma have shallow anterior chamber

Eyes with acute angle-closure glaucoma may have a more crowded anterior segment than both uninvolved fellow eyes and eyes with chronic angle-closure glaucoma, according to a study by researchers in Taiwan.

"In addition to anterior chamber depth, relative lens size, represented by the lens/axial length factor, and relative lens position appear to play important roles in the development of [acute angle-closure] attack," the study authors said.

Yu-Wen Lan and colleagues in Taiwan used A-scan ultrasonography to investigate the biometric differences between eyes with acute angle-closure attack, their uninvolved fellow eyes and eyes with chronic angle-closure glaucoma. They published their results in the October issue of Ophthalmologica.

The study included 33 patients with unilateral acute angle-closure attack and 41 patients with chronic angle-closure glaucoma. All eyes had previously undergone laser iridotomy, according to the study.

The researchers found that eyes with acute angle-closure attack had significantly shallower anterior chambers, thicker lenses, shorter axial lengths, larger lens sizes and more anteriorly positioned lenses than eyes with chronic angle-closure glaucoma, the authors reported.

In addition, eyes with acute angle-closure attack had shallower anterior chamber depths and more anteriorly positioned lenses than their uninvolved contralateral eyes, the authors noted.

Uninvolved fellow eyes also had significantly shallower anterior chambers, shorter axial lengths and larger lens sizes than eyes with chronic angle-closure glaucoma, according to the study.