Introduction Glaucoma is a lifelong condition often requiring surgical intervention. To allow us to inform patients’ expectations of surgery effectively, it is important to understand patients’ preferences and concerns regarding outcomes from glaucoma treatments including surgery.

Aims To explore what clinical and social outcomes of glaucoma surgery are important to patients.

Methods Forty-five glaucoma patients undergoing medical glaucoma treatments or surgery were recruited for focus group interviews to determine their opinions regarding the outcomes of glaucoma treatments. Thematic analysis was performed with NVivo software.

Results Themes identified were understanding glaucoma, understanding surgery treatments and understanding treatment outcomes. The most important outcomes of the glaucoma surgery reported by the patients were social factors. Patients felt that being able to maintain their driving licence is a strong indicator of successful glaucoma treatment/surgery. Other important outcomes were independent living, ability to care for their family and having a good-quality social life. When considering novel surgical treatments, most patients felt that certainty of successful outcome and proven longevity of the effect are the primary motivators for choosing these treatments.

Conclusions Patients understood that clinical measures were surrogates for maintaining visual function, but ability to maintain independent living was the most important outcome from their treatment. For newer treatments patients wished to know more about long-term outcomes when considering this option.