Ocular hypertension: correlation of anterior chamber angle width and risk of progression to glaucoma

Twenty five patients with ocular hypertension (OH) and a narrow angle and 34 patients with OH and an open angle were followed for an average of six years. One eye of each patient had been randomly assigned to treatment with topical timolol. A shallow axial anterior chamber depth and a narrow angle (van Herick Grade 2 or less) was associated with the development of angle-closure glaucoma (ACG) in the narrow angle group, but the open angle group developed significantly more visual field loss. Nine patients (36%) in the narrow angle group developed ACG, and nine patients (26.5%) in the open angle group developed glaucomatous discs and field loss. The reduction in intraocular pressure due to topical timolol was equal in the narrow angle and the open angle groups, but topical timolol did not protect against the development of angle-closure glaucoma or visual field loss.