Objective To investigate the effect of different concentrations of glucose on trabecular meshwork cells in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma （POAG）； to study glucose and POAG as well as the relationship between diabetes and POAG； and to further understand the pathogenesis of POAG. Methods In this experimental study， human trabecular meshwork cells were first cultured and then subcultured. The cells were incubated with different doses of glucose （0， 5.5， 45.0 mmol/l） and the final concentration was diluted with DMEM/F12 without serum for 48 hours. CCK-8 and flow cytometry were used to study the effect of glucose on the apoptosis of the cultured trabecular meshwork cells. Data were analyzed using ANOVA. Results With an increase in glucose concentration， CCK-8 detected the inhibition of trabecular meshwork cells. The difference between the experimental group and control group was statistically significant （F=13.87， P<0.01）. Flow cytometry showed that the apoptosis rates in the experimental group with the different doses of glucose （5.5， 45.0 mmol/L） in the final concentrations were 10.65%±0.03% and 25.74%±0.02%， which were higher than the control group （4.02%±0.03%）. The difference between the experimental group and control group was statistically significant （F=25.34，P<0.05）. Conclusion High glucose levels can cause a decrease in the proliferation of trabecular meshwork cells and increase the rate of apoptosis. This changes the network structure of trabecular meshwork cells， and maybe changes the resistance in the aqueous outflow pathway.