OBJECTIVE: to define actual practice patterns for glaucoma and estimate the resources utilization, total cost of treatment and costs distribution in patients categorised into groups according to type of glaucoma and then stratified according to stage of illness. METHODS: The observational study included 193 patients with open-angle (OAG) and 122 patients with closed-angle glaucoma (CAG) recruited by ophthalmologist in Mazowian Regional Centre of Glaucoma Diagnosis and Treatment. Patients were categorised into OAG and CAG groups and then stratified according to intraocular pressure (<16 mmHg-I, 17-22 mmHg-II, >22 mmHg-III) or changes in C/D (C/D<0,5-a, C/D>0,6-b). Number of eyes in examined subgroups were: OAG I–154, II-165, III-45, 1-124, 2-240; CAG I-113, II-74, III-40, 1-114, 2-113, respectively. The perspective of health-care payers and time horizon 18 months were taken. Quantities of resources or services used and their costs were collected separately, and then quantities multiplied by the price. Costs were summarized for the main resource categories (pharmaceuticals, outpatient consultations, surgery, laser therapy). Resources used and costs in each group were calculated per 100eyes/1year, what permitted a cross-group comparison. RESULTS: The total cost of glaucoma treatment was highest in CAG-III (108032 PLN/100eyes/1year, 1 USD=4,5 PLN) and OAG-III or b (99400 PLN/100eyes/1year). The major cost driver in CAG-a and OAG-b was surgery (36% of total costs), in all other, mostly in stage III, were pharmaceuticals: in OAG-III and CAG-III – 50%, in OAG-b – 40% of total costs. In OAG-2 and CAG-b, CAG-I and CAG-II 30% of total costs arose from surgery. The most frequent used pharmaceuticals were: in OAG – timolol, in CAG – pilocarpine. The third – dorzolamid - was used in OAG nad CAG, most frequent in stage III. CONCLUSION: The total cost of glaucoma treatment and costs distribution depends on the severity of illness. Beyond CAG-a and OAG-b group, the most expensive was pharmacological treatment.