Background: chronic angle closure glaucoma is often managed surgically.

Objective: to study the effect of Latanoprost 0.005% on intraocular pressure in subjects diagnosed as having chronic angle closure glaucoma.

Methods: forty patients participated in the study. Baseline examination included visual acuity, refraction, slit-lamp examination, intraocular pressure, anterior and posterior segment examination, gonioscopy and perimetry. Patients were treated with Latanoprost 0.005% once daily at bedtime. IOP was recorded at baseline, 2weeks, 4 weeks, 8 weeks and 12 weeks after starting the treatment.

Results: the mean age of the study sample was 56.45 years (40-70 years). There were 18 males and 22 females in the study. Mean IOP at baseline was 24.55 +/- 3.63. Mean IOP decreased to 17.27 +/- 3.19 at 2 weeks, 15.27 +/- 3.07 at 4 weeks, 14.60-3.06 at 8 weeks and 14.47 +/- 2.66 at 12 weeks. There was a statistically significant reduction in mean IOP (41.03%) at 12 weeks as compared to those of the baseline IOP (p=0.000). There was no significant difference in IOP reduction in eyes with different degrees of angle closure by peripheral anterior synechiae.

Conclusions: latanoprost, a prostaglandin analogue, is effective in reducing IOP in chronic angle closure glaucoma patients and its efficacy is not affected by the degree of angle closure by peripheral anterior synechiae.