Malignant glaucoma

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It is a form of secondary angle closure glaucoma following intraocular surgery to the anterior segment of the eye. Such procedures include filtering surgery for glaucoma, cataract extraction and iridectomy, although it typically follows surgery for angle closure glaucoma.

Both the central and peripheral anterior chamber is shallow and intraocular pressure (IOP) is elevated. This may occur fairly quickly following surgery or there may be a considerable latent period, perhaps several years. It is thought that the usual anterior flow of aqueous is disrupted with the anterior hyaloid face of the vitreous becoming increasingly permeable allowing aqueous to pool in the vitreous chamber.