Purpose
To describe the prevalence and types of glaucoma in Yazd, central Iran.

Design
Population-based, cross-sectional study.

Participants
Iranian adults aged 40 to 80 years, residing in Yazd, Iran, in 2010 and 2011.

Methods
Eligible samples were selected using cluster random sampling. Each participant underwent an interview and ophthalmologic examinations, including refraction, determination of uncorrected and best-corrected visual acuity, slit-lamp biomicroscopy, Goldmann applanation tonometry, gonioscopy, dilated fundus examination, central corneal thickness measurement, visual field testing, and stereoscopic fundus photography.

Main Outcome Measures
Prevalence of different types of glaucoma.

Results
Of 2320 eligible individuals, 2098 (response rate, 90.4%) participated in the study and 1990 completed all evaluations for glaucoma diagnosis. Overall, 47 persons (2.4%) were categorized with ocular hypertension, 32 persons (1.6%) were categorized with primary angle-closure suspect (PACS), and 16 persons (0.8%) were categorized with primary angle closure (PAC). The total number of subjects with glaucoma was 87 (4.4%; 95% confidence interval, 3.3–5.4), consisting of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG, 3.2%, including high-tension glaucoma [1.7%] and normal-tension glaucoma [NTG], 1.5%]), primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG, 0.4%), pseudoexfoliation glaucoma (0.4%), and other secondary glaucomas (0.4%). The mean age of subjects with glaucoma was 63.3±11 years, and 57.5% of them were female. Seventy-eight individuals (89.7%) were unaware of their disease. Positive family history of glaucoma was present in 6.9% of glaucoma subjects.

Conclusions
The prevalence of glaucoma in Yazd (4.4%) is comparable to that in other population-based studies in Asia, with POAG accounting for the majority of cases. Most affected subjects were unaware of their disease.