Glaucoma is characterized by which sign?

Glaucoma is characterized by which sign?

• A. Decreased intraocular pressure
• B. Increased intraocular pressure with severe eye pain
• C. Conjunctival edema
• D. Retinal detachment

Answer: (B)

Glaucoma involves damage to the optic nerve driven by elevated intraocular pressure. The sign described—increased intraocular pressure with severe eye pain—aligns with acute angle-closure glaucoma, a medical emergency where a sudden rise in pressure causes intense eye pain, redness, headaches, and often nausea or halos around lights. This contrasts with open-angle glaucoma, which can have rising pressure but often presents without obvious pain or symptoms early on, and with other eye conditions: conjunctival edema points to inflammation like conjunctivitis, and retinal detachment causes a sudden loss of vision described as a curtain over the visual field. So the combination of high pressure and severe pain best captures the acute glaucomatous process that demands urgent assessment and management.

Glaucoma involves damage to the optic nerve driven by elevated intraocular pressure. The sign described—increased intraocular pressure with severe eye pain—aligns with acute angle-closure glaucoma, a medical emergency where a sudden rise in pressure causes intense eye pain, redness, headaches, and often nausea or halos around lights. This contrasts with open-angle glaucoma, which can have rising pressure but often presents without obvious pain or symptoms early on, and with other eye conditions: conjunctival edema points to inflammation like conjunctivitis, and retinal detachment causes a sudden loss of vision described as a curtain over the visual field. So the combination of high pressure and severe pain best captures the acute glaucomatous process that demands urgent assessment and management.