Which type of glaucoma is considered chronic?

Open angle glaucoma is recognized as a chronic condition characterized by a gradual increase in intraocular pressure due to the slow clogging of the drainage canals in the eye, which leads to optic nerve damage over time. This form of glaucoma is often asymptomatic in its early stages, allowing it to progress unnoticed until significant visual impairment occurs.

The chronic nature of open angle glaucoma contrasts with other types of glaucoma, like closed angle glaucoma, which is typically acute and can present with severe symptoms such as sudden vision loss, headache, and nausea due to a rapid rise in intraocular pressure. Secondary glaucoma results from an underlying medical condition, and neovascular glaucoma is associated with new blood vessel formation as a response to retinal ischemia, both of which can also lead to elevated intraocular pressures but do not inherently have the same chronic, progressive pattern as open angle glaucoma.

Understanding the distinction between these types of glaucoma is crucial for effective diagnosis and management, particularly because chronic open angle glaucoma requires long-term treatment strategies to preserve vision.