Vitreous Zonule and its Relation to Anterior Chamber Angle Characteristics in Primary Angle Closure

Primary angle-closure (PAC) eyes with no vitreous zonule (VZ) appear to have a narrower angle despite similar lens vault and iris configuration than eyes with visible VZ.To assess the clinical significance of the VZ in PAC.Medical records of 91 eyes of 91 participants with PAC or PAC glaucoma were retrospectively reviewed. Anterior segment parameters were measured using anterior segment optical coherence tomography; presence of the VZ was assessed with ultrasound biomicroscopy. Parameters were compared between eyes with vitreous zonule group (VZG) and no vitreous zonule group (NVZG). Factors associated with VZ presence were determined using logistic regression analysis.The NVZG was more likely to have PAC glaucoma than PAC (51.4% vs. 25.0%; P=0.010) and use more glaucoma medications (0.77 vs. 0.36; P=0.004) than the VZG. The NVZG had a smaller anterior chamber area than the VZG (13.6 mm vs. 15.1 mm; P=0.020) but there were no significant between-group differences in anterior chamber depth (1.97 vs. 2.08 mm; P=0.119) and lens vault (1.21 vs. 1.13 mm; P=0.337). NVZG had a smaller scleral spur angle (11.5 vs. 17.4 degrees; P<0.001), angle opening distance at 500 μm (AOD500, 105 vs. 168 μm; P<0.001), and trabecular-ciliary process angle (75.7 vs. 81.9 degrees; P=0.029) than VZG. Older age [odds ratio (confidence interval), 1.087 (1.014-1.164); P=0.018], less AOD500 (0.984 (0.975-0.993); P<0.001), and less trabecular-ciliary process angle (0.938 (0.901-0.977); P=0.002) were independently associated with an absence of VZ.PAC eyes with no VZ had a narrower angle and required more glaucoma medications than eyes with a VZ.