Prevalence, Types and Risk factors of Glaucoma Among Patients Attending Department of Ophthalmology in a Tertiary Care Hospital: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study

Background: Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of visual impairment, and blindness worldwide. Early detection of glaucoma can prevent sight threatening complications. The study was designed to find out the prevalence, and types of glaucoma among patients attending the Department of Ophthalmology in a tertiary hospital of Nepal. Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Ophthalmology after receiving ethical approval from the institutional review board The study was conducted from 10 September 2022 to 10 March 2023. Convenience sampling was done to reach the sample size. Relevant data was entered in a proforma specified for the study. Data analysis was done using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 26, point estimate at 95% Confidence Interval (CI) was calculated along with frequency and proportion for binary data. Results: Among 1140 participants, 25 (2.19%) (1.49-3.22 at 95% Confidence Interval) study subjects had glaucoma at least in one eye. Primary open angle glaucoma was much more common 10 (0.87%), followed by primary narrow angle glaucoma 9 (0.78%), and secondary glaucoma 6 (0.53%) in the study population. Primary narrow angle glaucoma was much more common in female gender. Within the diagnosed glaucoma cases 9 (36%) subjects had a positive family history. Conclusion: The prevalence of glaucoma was higher than the recent national estimates in the current study. Primary open angle glaucoma remains the commonest type of glaucoma. First degree relative of a diagnosed case of glaucoma should be subjected for glaucoma screening.