Primary glaucomas: current concepts and management

Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness. Delay in diagnosis of open angle glaucoma (OAG) results from lack of symptoms. In angle closure glaucoma (ACG) there is often neglect of symptoms. Creating awareness about the disease and screening the high risk groups would reduce the burden of irreversible blindness due to glaucoma. Adequate therapy in the form of drops, lasers and surgery is available. Close interaction with the physician is important as many topical antiglaucoma medications have adverse systemic side-effects and many drugs used for systemic diseases raise the intra-ocular pressure (IOP). All drugs currently available for glaucoma lower IOP but new drugs for neuroprotection may change the future management strategies. While drugs and surgery are the mainstay for OAG, laser iridotomy is the definitive treatment for ACG.