What are some chronic clinical signs of glaucoma?

Chronic clinical signs of glaucoma primarily include irreversible blindness and buphthalmos. In glaucoma, increased intraocular pressure can lead to damage of the optic nerve and the retina over time. This condition may progress without noticeable signs in some patients until the damage is significant, resulting in irreversible blindness when the disease is not treated promptly.

Buphthalmos refers to an enlargement of the eyeball, which is often seen in cases of congenital glaucoma or in advanced stages of the disease in older animals. This occurs because the pressure within the eye causes it to stretch and expand. Thus, both irreversible blindness and buphthalmos are clear indicators of chronic glaucoma, highlighting the long-term consequences of this condition if it remains untreated.

Other choices involve symptoms that are either too acute or not directly associated with the chronic progression of glaucoma. For example, frequent headaches and blurred vision are more characteristic of other eye conditions rather than glaucoma itself. Sudden eye pain and redness suggest acute glaucoma episodes rather than chronic clinical signs. Increased tearing and sensitivity to light can occur due to various ocular conditions but are not specific signs of chronic glaucoma. Therefore, a focus on irreversible blindness and buphthalmos encapsulates the chronic manifestations of this disease accurately.