Acute Bilateral Angle-Closure Glaucoma Related to Intranasal Cocaine Abuse

Introduction

Glaucoma disease is not an isolated clinical entity. It represents a collection of multiple disorders that will indeed result in an optic neuropathy involving anatomical and functional impairment of the optic disc and visual field loss [1]. According to the mechanism of damage, this medical condition is classified as open-angle and closed-angle glaucoma and subclassified in idiopathic/primary, or secondary glaucoma if the underlying cause is identified [2]. Secondary acute angle-closure glaucoma (AACG) induced by drugs usually occurs in patients with anatomical susceptibility, short axial length, shallow anterior chamber, anteriorly located lens, and others, and there are two main mechanisms involved in its development: the pupillary block due to pharmacologic mydriasis and ciliochoroidal effusion due to the disruption of the blood-ocular barrier system [3]. Several treatments commonly used in clinical practice, and even some glaucoma medications such as latanoprost [4] and acetazolamide [3], [5], have been associated with AACG as a side effect. In the same vein, AACG can also be triggered by consumption of psychotropic substances, including amphetamines and cocaine.

Publication History

Received: 30 December 2020

Accepted: 06 February 2021

Article published online:
14 April 2021

• References

• 1 Quigley HA. Glaucoma. Lancet 2011; 377: 1367-1377
• 2 Foster PJ, Buhrmann R, Quigley HA. et al. The definition and classification of glaucoma in prevalence surveys. Br J Ophthalmol 2002; 86: 238-242
• 3 Lachkar Y, Bouassida W. Drug-induced acute angle closure glaucoma. Curr Opin Ophthalmol 2007; 18: 129-133
• 4 Yalvac IS, Tamcelik N, Duman S. Acute angle-closure glaucoma associated with latanoprost. Jpn J Ophthalmol 2003; 47: 530-531
• 5 Tripathi RC, Triathi BJ, Haggerty C. Drug-induced glaucoma: mechanism and management. Drug Saf 2003; 26: 749-767
• 6 Shanti CM, Lucas CE. Cocaine and the critical care challenge. Crit Care Med 2003; 31: 1851-1859
• 7 Schwartz BG, Rezkalla S, Kloner RA. Cardiovascular effects of cocaine. Circulation 2010; 122: 2558-2569
• 8 Koller K. Ueber die Verwendung des Cocain zur Anästhesierung am Auge. Wien Med Wochenschr 1884; 34: 1276-1278
• 9 Dupuy-Dutemps B. Cure de la dacrocystite chronique commune et du larmoiement par la dacrocystorhinostomie plastique. Bull Acad Med 1921; 86: 293-295
• 10 McHenry JG, Zeiter JH, Madion MP. et al. Corneal epithelial defects after smoking crack cocaine. Am J Ophthalmol 1989; 108: 732
• 11 Ravin JG, Ravin LC. Blindness due to illicit use of topical cocaine. Ann Ophthalmol 1979; 11: 863-864
• 12 Strominger MB, Sachs R, Hersh PS. Microbial keratitis with crack cocaine. Arch Ophthalmol 1990; 108: 1672
• 13 Zagelbaum BM, Tannenbaum MH, Hersh PS. Candida albicans corneal ulcer associated with crack cocaine. Am J Ophthalmol 1991; 111: 248-249
• 14 Van Herick W, Shaffer RN, Schwartz A. et al. Estimation of width of angle of anterior chamber. Incidence and significance of the narrow angle. Am J Ophthalmol 1969; 68: 626-629
• 15 European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction. Spain Country Drug Report 2019. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union; 2019. Accessed. March1. 2021. at: https://www.emcdda.europa.eu/system/files/publications/11353/spain-cdr-2019.pdf
• 16 Mitchell JD, Schwartz AL. Acute angle-closure glaucoma associated with intranasal cocaine abuse. Am J Ophthalmol 1996; 122: 425-426
• 17 Hari CK, Roblin DG, Clayton MI. et al. Acute angle closure glaucoma precipitated by intranasal application of cocaine. J Laryngol Otol 1999; 113: 250-251
• 18 Wilcsek GA, Vose MJ, Francis IC. et al. Acute angle closure glaucoma following the use of intranasal cocaine during dacryocystorhinostomy. Br J Ophthalmol 2002; 86: 1312
• 19 Bremner F. Apraclonidine is better than cocaine for detection of Horner syndrome. Front Neurol 2019; 10: 55
• 20 Chan PP, Pang JC, Tham CC. Acute primary angle closure-treatment strategies, evidences and economical considerations. Eye (Lond) 2019; 33: 110-119
• 21 Jonas JB, Aung T, Bourne RR. et al. Glaucoma. Lancet 2017; 390: 2183-2193
• 22 Noh HJ, Kim ST. Combined treatment of phacoemulsification and single-port limited pars plana vitrectomy in acute angle-closure glaucoma. Int J Ophthalmol 2019; 12: 974-979
• 23 Strike C, Robinson S, Guta A. et al. Illicit drug use while admitted to hospital: Patient and health care provider perspectives. PLoS One 2020; 15: e0229713
• 24 Umbricht A, De Fulio A, Winstanley EL. et al. Topiramate for cocaine dependence during methadone maintenance treatment: a randomized controlled trial. Drug Alcohol Depend 2014; 140: 92-100