What is the most common form of glaucoma?

What is the most common form of glaucoma?

• A. Acute angle-closure glaucoma
• B. Normal tension glaucoma
• C. Secondary glaucoma
• D. Chronic open-angle glaucoma

Answer: (D)

Most glaucoma cases are chronic open-angle glaucoma. This form happens when the eye’s drainage channels remain open, but drainage is slow, allowing pressure to build up gradually inside the eye and damaging the optic nerve over time. It’s usually painless and progresses slowly, so vision loss starts insidiously and may go unnoticed until noticeable peripheral loss occurs. In contrast, acute angle-closure glaucoma is an emergency with sudden eye pain, redness, halos around lights, and rapid vision changes, making it much less common. Normal tension glaucoma is a type where optic nerve damage occurs even at normal intraocular pressure, not the majority. Secondary glaucoma arises from another condition (such as inflammation or trauma) and is not the typical presentation. Therefore, chronic open-angle glaucoma is the most common form.

Most glaucoma cases are chronic open-angle glaucoma. This form happens when the eye’s drainage channels remain open, but drainage is slow, allowing pressure to build up gradually inside the eye and damaging the optic nerve over time. It’s usually painless and progresses slowly, so vision loss starts insidiously and may go unnoticed until noticeable peripheral loss occurs. In contrast, acute angle-closure glaucoma is an emergency with sudden eye pain, redness, halos around lights, and rapid vision changes, making it much less common. Normal tension glaucoma is a type where optic nerve damage occurs even at normal intraocular pressure, not the majority. Secondary glaucoma arises from another condition (such as inflammation or trauma) and is not the typical presentation. Therefore, chronic open-angle glaucoma is the most common form.