Bilateral Angle Recession and Chronic Post-Traumatic Glaucoma: A Review of the Literature and a Case Report

Abstract

Ocular trauma affects millions of people worldwide and is a leading cause of secondary glaucoma. Angle recession is the main cause of post-traumatic glaucoma after blunt eye trauma, and it is usually unilateral. The aim of this paper is to investigate the possible causes of angle recession with a bilateral presentation. Airbag activation during traffic accidents is a likely cause to be ruled out, along with repeated head or eye trauma, due to contact sports or a history of physical abuse. These aspects can aid in early detection, appropriate management, and improved outcomes for patients with ocular trauma. Finally, we report the case of a 75-year-old Caucasian man who developed a bilateral angle recession after an airbag impact, with advanced glaucoma in the right eye and ocular hypertension in the left eye. To our knowledge, this is the first case in the literature of chronic post-traumatic glaucoma probably caused by an airbag.

Keywords

• angle recession
• post-traumatic glaucoma
• airbag eye injuries
• bilateral eye injuries