Background: Glaucoma is an optic neuropathy that leads to atrophic changes in the disc, associated with characteristic visual field changes. Primary Angle Closure Glaucoma (PACG) is defined as an occludable drainage angle with glaucomatous optic disc damage and visual field damage.

Objective: To establish profile of PACG in the patient population of a South Indian hospital.

Methods: In this case series, medical records of 101 cases of PACG were retrospectively reviewed. Their demographic and clinical features and treatment instituted were collected and analyzed.

Results: 174 eyes of 101 patients were evaluated. Mean age at presentation was 56 ± 10.22 years. Forty patients were blind on presentation of which ten were blind in both eyes. Forty-one percent of eyes were hypermetropic. Most frequent presenting complaint was decreased vision followed by pain. Mean axial length was 21.83 ± 0.93 mm. Of the total, 55.17% of eyes underwent LASER Peripheral Iridotomy (LPI); of which 29.17% eventually underwent filtering surgery at a later date and 41.67% required treatment with anti glaucoma medications following LPI.

Conclusions: Female gender, increasing age, hyperopia and shorter axial length appear to be associated with PACG in the present study. These appear to be similar in Asians and Caucasians. It presents a decade earlier, decreased vision being the most common presenting symptom among Indians. A number of patients have lost their vision before they present to the hospital. LPI alone may not be sufficient in Indian eyes with PACG. Early surgery may be a better option in India as regular follow up is difficult.

Keywords: Glaucoma, angle closure; characteristics; therapy