Objective To explore the current situation and influencing factors of self-management behavior in patients with primary glaucoma, so as to provide a theoretical basis for formulating intervention strategies to improve patients’ self-management ability. Methods Using convenient sampling method, 400 patients with primary glaucoma visiting the Outpatient Department of Ophthalmology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University between September 2019 and March 2020 were selected. Their current situation of self-management behavior was investigated by self-management behavior questionnaire, and the influencing factors of self-management behavior were analyzed. Results A total of 381 valid questionnaires were recovered. The total score of self-management behavior of patients with primary glaucoma was 51.11±6.22, and the mean scores of life debugging dimension, functional health care dimension, and medical management dimension were 2.66±0.67, 3.02±0.81, and 3.13±0.60, respectively. The results of multiple linear regression analysis showed that age [40-59 vs. <40 years old: unstandardized partial regression coefficient (b)=–2.830, 95% confidence interval (CI) (–4.813, –0.847), P=0.005; ≥60 vs. <40 years old: b=–2.660, 95%CI (–4.820, –0.498), P=0.016], occupation [in-service vs. farmers: b=2.639, 95%CI (0.303, 4.976), P=0.027; unemployed or retired vs. farmers: b=2.913, 95%CI (0.995, 4.831), P=0.003], smoking [smoking vs. non-smoking: b=–3.135, 95%CI (–5.196, –1.075), P=0.003], disease type [primary open-angle glaucoma vs. primary angle-closure glaucoma: b=–2.119, 95%CI (–3.317, –0.921), P=0.001], number of follow-up visits [≤2 vs. >2: b=–1.071, 95%CI (–2.118, –0.024), P=0.045], whether fixed doctor follow-up [unfixed vs. fixed: b=–2.619, 95%CI (–3.632, –1.605), P<0.001] were correlated with the total score of self-management behavior of patients with primary glaucoma. Conclusions The self-management behavior of patients with primary glaucoma is in the middle level. The main factors affecting the self-management behavior level of primary glaucoma patients include age, occupation, smoking, disease type, follow-up times, and fixed doctor’s follow-up. Ophthalmologists should pay attention to the current situation and influencing factors of self-management behavior and take feasible intervention measures to improve the self-management behavior of patients with primary glaucoma.