Primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) is usually
considered not very frequent in caucasic and
african populations while it is believed to be the most
common form of glaucoma among the populations
of mongolian-like breed. As for the different
clinical
presentations, the typical acute
glaucoma attack is considered
the most frequent among the caucasic patients, while in the mongolian
populations the chronic presentations
seem to prevail.
An epidemiological study carried out in Northern Italy demonstrated on the contrary
that the overall prevalence
of POAG in a
population of age over 40 is as high as 0.6% and that the most frequent
clinical presentation is the
chronic and progressive form
without acute attacks (creeping angle-closure glaucoma).
If a gonioscopy is omitted this form may easily be mistaken for open-angle glaucoma. The preference of this illness for the women is confirmed. The eyes whose angle has been considered occludable on the basis of the Van Herick test are markedly more numerous than those that actually develop angle closure.