Context: Glaucoma is the largest cause of bilateral blindness, second only to the cataract; however, the disability caused by glaucoma is irreversible. According to the World Health Organization model, based on the most recent available data, glaucoma accounted for 12.3% of blindness in 2002.

Aims: To find out the Prevalence of Primary open angle glaucoma in patients attending Ophthalmology OPD at KIMS Hubli and to study the various risk factors associated with Primary open angle glaucoma. Settings and design: Hospital based cross sectional study was carried out at Ophthalmology out patient department of KIMS, Hubballi.

Methods and material: Around 500 patients during the period of January 2016 to December 2016 satisfying the inclusion & exclusion criteria were enrolled into the study after valid consent. History, Visual acuity, slit lamp examination, CCT measurement, IOP measurement, Gonioscopy, Fundus evaluation, Visual field assessment was done on patients.

Statistical analysis: Proportions and appropriate statistical tests were used for statistical analysis. Results: Out of 1000 eyes of 500 patients included in the study, 83 eyes of 54 patients were diagnosed as cases of POAG.The overall prevalence of POAG were found to be 10.8 %. All 54 cases of diagnosed POAG were above 40 yrs of age. 18 pts were diabetic (33.33%), 22 had hypertension (40.74%). 6 patients had family history of glaucoma (11.11%).There were 11 smokers (20.37%) 5 myopic (9.2%) and 6 (11.11) patients had CCT < 555 µm in the study. Conclusion: We found high prevalence rate (10.8%) of POAG compared to population based studies. And the prevalence of POAG increases with age. Diabetes, hypertension, family history, smoking, myopic, and thinner CCT are risk factors associated with POAG. 

Keywords: Primary Open Angle Glaucoma; Age; Diabetic; Hypertension; Myopic.