Drug-induced acute angle closure glaucomaYves Lachkar and Walid Bouassida
Acute angle closure glaucoma is a potentially blinding
Acute angle closure glaucoma (AACG) occurs in pre-
side effect of a number of local and systemic drugs,
disposed individuals (hypermetropia, narrow angle, thick
including adrenergic, both anticholinergic and cholinergic,
lens) when the pupil is mid dilated. At least one-third of
antidepressant and antianxiety, sulfa-based, and
AACG cases are related to an over-the-counter or pre-
anticoagulant agents. The purpose of this article is to bring
scription drug. Drugs with a1 adrenergic or anticholiner-
this condition to the attention of clinicians using these
gic effects can precipitate attacks of AACG mainly by
compounds as well as ophthalmologists called to see the
mydriasis. Some drugs with no pupillary effect induce
AACG by ciliochoroidal effusion (sulpha-based drugs and
anticoagulants). The new term ‘acute angle closure crisis’
Acute angle closure glaucoma due to pupillary block,
replaces the former ‘acute angle closure glaucoma’ when
treatable by peripheral iridotomy, can be caused by
no glaucomatous optic nerve damage is observed before
adrenergic agents, either locally (phenylephrine drops,
the attack We will use both terms in this review.
nasal ephedrine, or nebulized salbutamol) or systemically(epinephrine for anaphylactic shock), drugs with
Both local (ocular drops, nasal and nebulized agents)
anticholinergic effects including tropicamide and atropine
and systemic drugs (e.g. atropine, adrenaline, ephedrine,
drops, tri and tetracyclic antidepressants, and cholinergic
some psychoactive and antiepileptic drugs) can induce
agents like pilocarpine. A novel anticholinergic form is the
AACG. Using the PubMed database we reviewed the
use of periocular botulinum toxin diffusing back to the ciliary
most recent articles (case reports and reviews) published
ganglion inhibiting the pupillary sphincter. Sulfa-based
drugs (acetazolamide, hydrochlorothiazide, cotrimoxazole,and topiramate) can cause acute angle closure glaucoma
Drugs that can induce AACG should be recognized not
by ciliary body edema with anterior rotation of the iris-lens
only because of the risk of AACG but also because certain
diaphragm. Iridotomy is not effective.
drugs can induce intermittent angle closure or exacerbate
Most attacks of acute angle closure glaucoma involvingpupillary block occur in individuals that are unaware that
they have narrow iridocorneal angles. Practitioners using
any of the above drugs should be aware of their potential to
precipitate an attack of acute AACG in predisposed
individuals that have shallow anterior chambers. Phenyl-ephrine drops are commonly used to induce pupillary
dilation for ocular fundus examination and may induce
acute angle closure glaucoma, adrenergic drugs, central
AACG in about 0.03% of nonselected patients .
France) is an a2-adrenergic agent that has a minor a1
Curr Opin Ophthalmol 18:129–133. ß 2007 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
effect, causing mild mydriasis We observed twocases of AACG caused or precipitated by apraclonidine
Department of Ophthalmology, Glaucoma Institute, Saint Joseph Hospital, Paris,France
drops in predisposed patients (personal report, not pub-lished). Dipivephrine (Propine: Allergan France Sas,
Correspondence to Doctor Yves Lachkar, Department of Ophthalmology,Glaucoma Institute, Saint Joseph Hospital, 185, rue Raymond Losserand, 75674
Mougins, France) also has a mild mydriatic effect.
Paris Cedex 14, FranceTel: +33 1441 23420; e-mail:
Cases of AACG have been reported after systemic admin-
Current Opinion in Ophthalmology 2007, 18:129–133
istration of ephedrine for flu, surgical anaesthesia or
epinephrine (adrenaline) to treat anaphylactic shock
and ventricular fibrillation. Intake of nasal ephedrineand naphazoline in the acute management of epistaxis
ß 2007 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
can induce AACG, which may be bilateral AACG is
believed to result more from the reflux through theipsilateral nasolacrimal duct than from the absorptionthrough the nasal mucosa, even though plasma levels
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can be similar to those achieved with intravenous admin-
glaucoma attacks. Ates et al. recommend practising
an oblique penlight illumination test by anaesthesiolo-gists to estimate anterior chamber depth and determine
Nebulized b2-adrenergic agents (salbutamol, albuterol,
the population at risk. Patients at risk for AACG in the
terbutaline) are used for bronchodilation in patients with
postoperative period can be administered topical pilocar-
asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. They
pine therapy to prevent any attack. Since symptoms of
can increase the intraocular pressure and induce transient
AACG may be overlooked or misinterpreted in a sedated
angle closure. Stimulating ciliary body b2-adrenergic
or comatose patient, any patient who has a red eye
receptors promotes aqueous humour secretion. Angle
and a subjective vision loss postoperatively should be
closure is exacerbated by pupil dilation caused by the
parasympathetic inhibitory effect of ipratropium, especi-ally when an anticholinergic drug is frequently connected
Corridan et al. reported a case of AACG which
These drugs can be absorbed through the cornea
occurred shortly after a series of injections of botulinum
and the conjunctiva after escaping from a face mask.
toxin around the eyelids for blepharospasm. Botulinum
Properly fitted and positioned masks and hand-held
toxin injected periocularly diffuses towards the ciliary
nebulizers can minimize ocular deposition of nebulized
ganglion and there impedes the cholinergic innervation
of the pupil. This complication, though rare, should betaken into consideration in predisposed patients who
Some other drugs that have indirect sympathomimetic
activity can induce AACG: amphetamines, some anti-depressant agents (imipramine, monoamine oxidase
inhibitors), cocaine, especially when used intranasally
Pilocarpine is used in some forms of glaucoma to constrict
the pupil and increase aqueous outflow through the majoroutflow pathways. It can, however, induce AACG due to
anterior movement of the iris-lens diaphragm, thus result-
Tropicamide is a short-acting anticholinergic commonly
ing in complete angle closure Eyes with zonular
used to induce pupil dilation for fundus examination.
weakness or exfoliation syndrome seem to be particularly
Atropine, homatropine and cyclopentolate used to relax
prone to developing miotic-induced angle closure
the ciliary muscle and dilate the pupil have long-acting
Ritch et al. reported chronic angle closure developing
anticholinergic action, and more frequently induce AACG
after several years of miotic therapy in eyes that initially
Ipratropium bromide (Atrovent: Boehringer Ingelheim
Acetylcholine and carbachol are topical medications used
France, Paris, France) is an antimuscarinic drug usually
to constrict the pupil during intraocular surgery, especi-
prescribed in combination with salbutamol in acute
ally cataract extraction. They can induce pupillary block
exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Many cases of AACG associated with nebulized ipratro-pium have been reported Fifty percent of
patients with preexisting narrow angles who received a
Tri and tetracyclic antidepressants are known to have
nebulized salbutamol and ipratropium combination
important anticholinergic side effects. They have fre-
manifest transient AACG As supposed for aeroso-
quently been associated with AACG in predisposed
lized b2-adrenergic agents, ipratropium escapes from the
face mask, diffuses through the cornea producing pupildilation and, in eyes with susceptible angles, angle
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have a
lower incidence of cholinergic side effects than tricyclicantidepressants. Nevertheless, many reports of AACG
Atropine is often used to treat bradycardia, especially
associated with paroxetine , venlafaxine
related to general anaesthesia. Postoperative AACG was
reported in patients after general anaesthesia for abdomi-
were reported. The weak anticholinergic and adre-
nal, orthopaedic, facial and endoscopic surgery
nergic activity and the mydriatic effect of increased
Several factors are likely to induce postoperative AACG
levels of serotonin are possible mechanisms of AACG.
in predisposed individuals: anticholinergic drugs (atro-
De Guzman et al. and Zelefsky et al. have
pine, scopolamine, and muscle relaxants), adrenergic
identified by ultrasonography supraciliary effusion that
drugs (ephedrine, epinephrine). Moreover, the peropera-
precipitates the AACG. Ophthalmological consultations
tive period carries the risk of psychological stress and
should be considered before starting treatment with SSRIs
darkness-induced mydriasis that may increase the risk of
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Drug-induced acute angle closure glaucoma Lachkar and Bouassida
heparin and low molecular weight heparin (enoxaparin,
Some sulfa-based drugs have been associated with rare
warfarin) have been reported to cause AACG.
AACG: acetazolamide hydrochlorothiazide andcotrimoxazole
To manage increased intraocular pressure, anticoagula-tive treatment should be discontinued and the symptoms
Topiramate is a sulfamate-substituted monosaccharide
managed as for AACG. Peripheral iridotomy is not effec-
antiepileptic agent. Since it was approved in 1995, several
tive in the management. Surgery may be needed to drain
case reports have been published addressing its ocular side
effects, including AACG, transient myopia and uveal effu-sion The majority of adverse cases
have occurred in females (89%), in paediatric patients as
Histamine H1 receptor antagonists (brompheniramine,
well as adults. Eighty-five percent of cases occurred in
chlorpheniramine, dexbrompheniramine, dexchlorphen-
the first 3 weeks of treatment with topiramate, in five
iramine, dimethindene, pheniramine, triprolidine) are
cases within hours after doubling the dose and in only
used to treat manifestations of allergic disease. Histamine
one case it occurred 49 days from the onset of therapy
H2 receptor antagonists (cimetidine, ranitidine) are usedto treat gastroesophageal reflux and duodenal ulcers. Both
Patients were typically taking topiramate doses within
of them have a weak anticholinergic effect, which can
the normal therapeutic range. In only a few cases was the
induce mydriasis and AACG in predisposed patients
presentation unilateral. No risk factors are known for thissyndrome
Other drugsOne case of recurrent bilateral AACG after combined
The underlying mechanism has been better character-
consumption of ‘ecstasy’, a synthetic amphetamine deri-
ized with ultrasound technology. Ciliary body oedema
vate, and marijuana in a 29-year-old women was reported
causes relaxation of the zonules, which allows lens
Ecstasy increases the release of monoamine neuro-
thickening. Anterolateral rotation of the ciliary body
transmitters (serotonin, noradrenaline and dopamine) and
about its attachment to the scleral spur leads to anterior
inhibits the uptake of serotonin from the synaptic gap.
displacement of the lens and iris and concomitant
It induces mydriasis and AACG in predisposed persons.
shallowing of the anterior chamber. Choroidal detach-ment and supraciliary effusion are frequently present.
Yalvac reported two cases of AACG in association with
Secondary angle closure glaucoma occurs without pupil-
topical administration of latanoprost . He speculates
lary block, therefore peripheral iridotomies are ineffec-
that latanoprost induces a swelling of the ciliary muscle,
pushing the iris-lens diaphragm anteriorly and initiatingthe AACG in predisposed patients.
Fluid movement in choroidal effusion could be related todrug-induced changes in membrane potential associatedwith topiramate. The finding of effusion in only a few
patients taking topiramate, however, suggests that it is an
A variety of drugs can cause AACG in susceptible indi-
The management of topiramate-related AACG requires
Table 1 Classification of drugs inducing acute angle closure
stopping the drug in concert with the prescribing physi-
cian, because decreasing the dose may exacerbate pre-
existing systemic conditions. In all reported cases, none
has subsided without discontinuation of the drug. If the
drug is stopped and medical management is instituted,
however, intraocular pressure may return to normal in a
period of hours to days If unrecognized as a drug-
related event, serious outcomes could occur (seven cases
of permanent vision loss have been reported).
Acute secondary angle closure glaucoma after massive
vitreous, choroidal or subretinal haemorrhage is a rare
complication of anticoagulant therapy. Risk factors are
overtreatment with anticoagulants, exudative age-related
macular degeneration and nanophthalmos Both
Copyright Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.
play, including pupillary block for which a peripheral
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Drug-induced acute angle closure glaucoma Lachkar and Bouassida
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