What Are The Two Main Types Of Glaucoma, And How Common Are They? (Open Angle, Closed Angle)

Aug. 24, 2009— -- Question: What is glaucoma, what are the two main types of glaucoma, and how common are they? (open angle, closed angle)

Answer: Most people have primary open-angle glaucoma, and the risk factors for that are: people who are near-sighted, if you've ever had injury to your eye or trauma, if you're on steroids or pretizone, individuals who are African American, any one over the age of 60, and also the Hispanic population can also have increased risk for primary open-angle glaucoma.

And we also have low-tension or normal-tension glaucoma, and this type of glaucoma, you still have that peripheral vision loss, but in that type of glaucoma your pressure is normal, under 21. And so for those people we look at other risk factors like, do they have migraine headaches? Perhaps they have very low blood pressure or they get cold hands and feet? And so we look for other causes in low-tension glaucoma.