Introduction: the magnitude of the cost of open angle primary glaucoma stems from the health care and the reduction of the patient's quality of life. Objectives: to estimate the open angle primary glaucoma costs in those patients seen at the glaucoma service of "Salvador Allende" hospital during 2010. Methods: a retrospective cost description-type study, which applied the methodological approach to the disease costs, was carried out in the field of health economic assessment. The universe of study was the total number of cases diagnosed as open angle primary glaucoma and seen at the glaucoma service during the first quarter of 2011 and those which had been treated during 2010. The costs were given in Cuban pesos, according to the 2010 rate. The study was conducted on the basis of the perspectives of the institution and those of the patients. Results: the study comprised 110 patients aged 60.3 years. The average cost of assistance to a patient at the hospital was 230.99 Cuban pesos. The average cost for the patients was 290.10 Cuban pesos in the analyzed period. Conclusions: the glaucoma service has the indispensable scientific and technical resources for the care of patients. The costs of the disease for the patients are afforded by their own incomes.