The diagnosis of unilateral glaucoma essentially requires an etiologic investigation primarily to make sure that the deterioration is truly glaucomatous, thus specifically ruling out other optical neuropathies and papillary abnormality, such as tilted disc or drusen, which can mimic glaucomatous perimetric defects. Nonetheless, some apparent unilateral glaucomas can become bilateral later, as with primary open-angle glaucoma, though more frequently with primary closed-angle glaucoma in the absence of prophylaxis, and with exfoliative glaucoma. Genuine unilateral glaucomas concern the pigmentary glaucomas, the contusive glaucomas, the secondary closed-angle glaucomas, which encompass iridocorneoendothelial syndromes, ocular inflammations with opened angle, and glaucomas with an increase in the venous episcleral pressure.
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