Primary Open Angle Glaucoma (POAG)
Primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) is the most common type of glaucoma.
The angle is that part of the eye between the cornea (the clear surface at the front of the eye) and the iris (the coloured circle inside the eye).
If the angle between these structures is wide, and the patient has glaucoma (based on test results) then this is known as POAG.
Primary Angle Closure Glaucoma (PACG)
Primary angle closure glaucoma is glaucoma when the angle between the cornea and the iris is very narrow, or even closed.
This type of glaucoma is more common in people of East Asian origin (for example the Chinese Singaporean community).
It can occur after an episode of acute angle closure, or it may occur slowly, in a similar fashion to POAG.
Only a trained ophthalmologist will be able to tell if you have POAG or PACG (or another type of glaucoma). It is an important distinction to make since the management of PACG can be different to the way POAG is treated.
SECONDARY GLAUCOMAS
There are a wide number of secondary glaucomas, although they are rarer than POAG and PACG. They are usually caused by:
• Eye injuries
• Eye surgeries
• Other eye conditions, such as: inflammatory diseases, tumours or retinal vein occlusions
• Non-eye related factors, such as diabetes and the medical use of steroid creams or medications
Your ophthalmologist should be aware of the risk of secondary glaucoma and refer you to a glaucoma specialist if they believe that there is a risk of secondary glaucoma.