What are the symptoms of acute angle-closure glaucoma?

• A. Red, painful eye with headache/nausea.
• B. itching and watery discharge.
• C. Mild redness with tearing.
• D. No symptoms.

Answer: (A)

Acute angle-closure glaucoma is an ophthalmic emergency driven by a sudden rise in intraocular pressure due to blocked drainage. This causes the eye to become intensely red and painful, often accompanied by headache and nausea or vomiting. The combination of severe ocular pain, marked redness, and systemic symptoms helps distinguish this from more common eye conditions. The eye may feel hard to palpation, and patients may note halos around lights with blurred vision, all signaling urgent evaluation and treatment to prevent optic nerve damage.

Other patterns fit less with this emergency: itching and watery discharge point more toward allergic or viral conjunctivitis; mild redness with tearing suggests mild conjunctival irritation; and no symptoms would not align with the abrupt, painful red eye seen in this condition.