Study of adherence to antiglaucoma medications in Primary Open Angle Glaucoma (POAG) in Kashmiri population by self-reporting method.

Abstract

Background: Glaucoma is one of the world’s three major causes of blindness, and affects more than 70 million people worldwide. A major determinant for the success of medical therapy for glaucoma is the adherence of patients to their medication.

Objectives: To determine the adherence of glaucoma patients to their medication by self-reporting questionnaires and its relationship with various socio clinical factors.

Study design: A prospective hospital-based observational study.

Participants: 40 patients aged ≥40yrs with medically treated POAG.

Methods: After taking proper consents, clinical and investigational evaluation data was collected at the initial visit and at 8th month. Questionnaires were administered to patients at 4th month.

Results: On the basis of morisky medication adherence scale -8, 12.5% of study patients had low adherence, 25% had medium adherence and 62.5% had high adherence. As per visual analogue scale, 22.5% reported poor adherence while as 77.5% had good adherence. Patients on monotherapy were seen to have better adherence than combination therapy.

Conclusion: It was found that non-compliance is a significant limiting factor in glaucoma therapy in Kashmir, seen in one-third of patients. Poor adherence was seen as a significant risk factor for worsening of best-corrected visual acuity, increase in RNFL loss and, the progression of visual fields and disc changes.

Implications: This study implied that measures to tackle non-adherence in the glaucomatous population are the need of the hour. This will reduce the number of surgical interventions required to treat glaucoma, prevent unnecessary vision loss, and reduce the economic burden on the healthcare system in the long run.