Purpose: The objective of this study was to identify possible risk factors associated with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG).

Methods: A case-control study included patients seen at Rasoul-Akram Hospital ophthalmology clinic. Cases were consecutive patients with confirmed unilateral or bilateral POAG presented during the study period. Controls were a random sample of all other patients aged 30 or more, seen in the same department in the same period who were randomly selected if they fulfilled the inclusion criteria and then matched with the cases by age and sex. Data on demographic, anthropometric as well as medical characteristics were collected from 191 subjects, by interview and medical examination.

Results: Sixty consecutive patients with POAG and 131 controls were chosen. Odds ratios (OR) are calculated for the relation between POAG and family history of glaucoma, body mass index, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cigarette smoking, migraine, and refractive error. Chi-square and student t tests were used. Results indicated the following: family history of glaucoma: OR: 35, 95% CI: 4.57-282.43, P<0.0001, hyperopia: OR: 0.432, 95% CI: 0.209-0.893, P=0.021, hypertension: OR: 1.46, 95% CI: 0.78-2.73, P=0.223, body mass index: P=0.378 (student t test) , migraine: OR: 0.46, 95% CI: 0.098-2.23, P=0.507, and cigarette smoking: OR, 1.81; 95% CI, 0.747-4.41; P= 0.184.

Conclusion: This study replicated the finding that family history is a major risk factor for POAG (when adjusting for age and sex), while it failed to show that hypertension, diabetes mellitus, myopia, cigarette smoking, migraine, and body mass index to be associated with POAG. It also suggested a protective role for hyperopia in POAG.