Glaucoma Disease Patterns in Pakistan
IA Syed, KI Mughal

Glaucoma is estimated to be the third most prevalent cause of blindness in the world, after cataract and trachoma. Blindness due to glaucoma is irreversible and has many socioeconomic consequences for society in terms of treatment cost and loss of productive working hours.
Glaucoma is not a single entity but a group of diseases that differ in clinical presentation, pathophysiology and treatment. In a study done in Lahore, 23% of blindness was found to be due to glaucoma (all types). However, this study does not give details of the different types. A retrospective study based on the data available at the glaucoma clinic of the Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital, Rawalpindi, found the relative incidence of different types of glaucoma in the Pakistani population.
Particular circumstances in Pakistan, such as illiteracy, poverty, and lack of medical facilities and personnel, dictate the line of management for the average patient.