'Unveiling Glaucoma': A Comprehensive Analysis of Newly Diagnosed Glaucoma Patients ina tertiary care centre in Western India.

CONTEXT: Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness and vision loss worldwide and hasa major impact on quality of life. As glaucoma is a multifactorial disease, it is important to identify the association between its ocular and systemic risk factors. AIMS: To assess the demographic profile, type of glaucoma, grade, risk factors and severity of same in first time diagnosed patients of glaucoma. SETTINGS AND DESIGNS: Primary open angel and Primary close angle glaucoma patients were selected according to inclusion criteria and cross-sectional observational study was carried out. METHODS: This analysis includes study of 200 patients diagnosed with glaucoma for the first time at a Western Regional Institute of Ophthalmology in Western India. Patients visual BCVA, age, intraocular pressure, corneal pachymetry, gonioscopy, central disc ratio, visual field findings and optical coherence tomography (OCT) were analysed. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Data were analysed using independent t test and statistical software Spss 26.0 version and Microsoft excel. P < 0.05 was considered stastically significant. Results: The study revealed that the mean age of patient of POAG was 60 and PACG was 57 years. POAG mean IOP was 20.98 ± 2.78 and PACG mean IOP was 28.37 ± 5.33. We observed 11.5% patients with advanced glaucomatous damage clinically and on perimetry report. POAG patients were more aged than POCG patients and also had advanced glaucomatous damage clinically and on perimetry report. Hypertension and diabetes were most commonly observed risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: this study undermines the utmost importance of raising awareness about glaucoma and the significance of early screening before irreversible glaucomatous damage occurs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]