The occurrence of primary open-angle glaucoma in the fellow eye of patients with unilateral angle-cleavage glaucoma.

The late onset of glaucoma occurs in approximately 7% of eyes with traumatic angle cleavage. We studied 13 patients who developed glaucoma in the angle-cleavage eye at an average of 34 years following trauma. Ten of the 13 patients had 270 degrees or more of angle cleavage. At the time of the initial diagnosis of angle cleavage glaucoma, there were no optic disc or visual field abnormalities in the fellow eyes. After a mean follow-up of 7.7 years, all 13 patients were reevaluated. In addition to standard examination techniques, all underwent disc photos, goniophotos, and Octopus perimetry. Seven of 13 patients (55%) had either frank glaucomatous or suspicious Octopus visual field abnormalities in the fellow eyes. Patients with angle-cleavage glaucoma appear to have at least a 50% chance of developing open-angle glaucoma in the non-traumatized fellow eyes.