Purpose: 1. To evaluate the efficacy of methods for primary open angle glaucoma treatment in Glaucoma Department - National Institute of Ophthalmology within 5 years (2004-2008). 2. To determine some factors involving with the progress of open angle glaucoma. Materials: A total of 467 eyes of 256 patients enrolled, including 113 eyes treated by medications and 334 eyes treated by surgery. Methods: describe, retrospective design, no control group. Results: Eyes that underwent treatment of medication had a statistically significantly higher stable visual acuity (70 percent) and excavation (60.2 percent) than those that undergoing surgical treatment (54.3 percent and 53.9 percent). Greater IOP reduction (17mmHg) can be achieved with surgical therapy (21.6 percent vs 17.7 percent of medical therapy). Progression in eyes, whose IOP is under 17mmHg, is only 2.1 percent, meanwhile in eyes with IOP ranging from 18 - 20mmHg, this rate is 28.2 percent, in case IOP 21 mmHg is 35.3 percent. The progression in eyes whose IOP fluctuation is 1 mmHg is only 2.7 percent vs 13.7 percent when IOP fluctuation varied 1 - 2mmHg. Patients under surgical treatment had higher rate of progress than those under medication (25.4 percent vs 20.4 percent) because of worse compliance ( 79.9 percent of patients in surgical group don't control regularly). Conclusion: Successful IOP reduction in surgical group is higher than in medical group
however, the rate of stability of eyes undergoing surgery is lower. The continuous progression after treatment depends on the goal IOP achieved, IOP fluctuation among controls and the compliance of patients.