Which manifestation would a nurse anticipate in a client with acute angle-closure glaucoma?

• A. Sneezing
• B. Shortness of breath
• C. Severe eye pain
• D. Abdominal pain

Answer: (C)

Acute angle-closure glaucoma presents as a sudden, dramatic rise in intraocular pressure, causing intense, severe eye pain. This pain is a hallmark of the emergency nature of the condition and is often accompanied by redness of the eye, blurred vision, halos around lights, a hazy cornea, and sometimes nausea or vomiting. The other options don’t fit this eye emergency—they relate to respiratory or abdominal issues or allergic symptoms, not to an abrupt rise in intraocular pressure in the eye. Recognizing severe eye pain as the key manifestation helps prompt urgent evaluation and treatment to prevent vision loss.