Significance of van herick test and its comparison with gonioscopy grading

Van Herick test is done to assess the occludability of anterior chamber angle by estimating peripheral anterior chamber depth in fraction of corneal thickness during a routine slit lamp examination. This method is also relevant in diagnosing very shallow anterior chambers, and concurrent risk of angle closure glaucoma and where dilatation of pupils may be relatively risky by resulting in precipitation of acute congestive glaucoma attack. In this study on 222 eyes of patients attending glaucoma clinic in ophthalmology department of a medical college in a district of North India, Van Herick test was performed and was followed by gonioscopy and the grading of both tests compared for occludability of anterior chamber angle. In our study the Van Herick method for estimation of peripheral anterior chamber depth very closely coincided with Gonioscopy findings and was found very useful method for quick and easy evaluations of eyes with narrow angle. However, gonioscopy must not be avoided for final assessment and management of patients.