Glaucoma is the most common cause of irreversible blindness globally with a significant contribution from angle-closure glaucoma. Over the past 20 years, the terminology has been standardised with the term glaucoma being used exclusively for patients with signs of glaucomatous damage to the optic nerve. Prospective randomised clinical trials have changed treatment algorithms as summarised in this review. Prophylactic iridotomy is now only offered to selected at-risk patients, while removal of the lens with phacoemulsification is more often used as the primary treatment of patients with angle closure.