[Acute angle-closure glaucoma resulting from treatment with nebulised bronchodilators].

CASE REPORT: A 78-year-old woman, with an acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive airways disease, was treated with nebulised ipratropium bromide and salbutamol. Twenty hours after beginning this treatment, she developed acute angle-closure glaucoma (AACG) in her left eye which resolved rapidly with appropriate treatment.

DISCUSSION: Nebulised ipratropium bromide and salbutamol increases the intraocular pressure and may cause an AACG in susceptible patients (those with a shallow anterior chamber, hypermetropia, or chronic angle-closure glaucoma). Increased vigilance in such patients treated with these bronchodilators may avoid this adverse effect. Ensuring the mask is correctly fitted, using a T-piece or unvented nebuliser and protective eye wear, are some of the many recommendations made to minimize the development of AACG in these patients.