NARROW ANGLE PREVALENCE AND ASSOCIATED RISK FACTORS IN A CHINESE-AMERICAN POPULATION
by Ryan Peng
Category: Social Science
Abstract – Glaucoma is a condition that causes visual impairment in millions of patients in the United States and worldwide. There are two types of glaucoma: open-angle glaucoma and angle-closure glaucoma. Open-angle glaucoma occurs when the pressure inside the eye increases slowly over time, due to poor drainage through the trabecular meshwork. This causes a slow rise in intraocular pressure, which gradually damages the optic nerve and leads to visual field loss.
Angle-closure glaucoma occurs when the anterior chamber angle becomes completely occluded, thus blocking the outflow of aqueous humor. This causes a rapid and dramatic spike in intraocular pressure which may lead to permanent vision loss in a matter of hours.
Patients with narrow anterior chamber angles are susceptible to angle-closure glaucoma. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence of narrow angles in a Chinese-American population, as well as the associated risk factors.
Angle-closure glaucoma occurs when the anterior chamber angle becomes completely occluded, thus blocking the outflow of aqueous humor. This causes a rapid and dramatic spike in intraocular pressure which may lead to permanent vision loss in a matter of hours.
Patients with narrow anterior chamber angles are susceptible to angle-closure glaucoma. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence of narrow angles in a Chinese-American population, as well as the associated risk factors.