Improving Medication Compliance in Glaucoma: Structured Medication Reviews in Primary Care

Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of global blindness, responsible for approximately 8.4% of all blindness cases worldwide in 2020. Medical treatment of glaucoma, ocular hypertension and glaucoma suspect involves use of long-term topical medications to lower intraocular pressure and thereby minimise optic nerve damage and sight loss. However, adherence to topical glaucoma medication is often poor, with reported rates of non-adherence varying from 30% to 80%. Poor adherence can be attributed to a range of factors, including patient beliefs, potential or perceived side effects of medications, forgetfulness, difficulty with eye drop administration and insufficient patient education. It is important to educate patients about the importance of medication adherence and attending glaucoma clinic appointments for monitoring of the disease, given that glaucoma is irreversible, and the more chronic forms are usually asymptomatic until the later stages. Whilst glaucoma is typically diagnosed and monitored in secondary care settings, GPs and other primary care professionals can play an important role in providing patients with long-term support, coordinating care, and promoting compliance with medication.