Decision to initiate glaucoma treatment based on numerous factors

Felipe A. Medeiros

PARIS — Treatment for glaucoma suspects or glaucoma patients is indicated when they are at risk of functional damage or a decrease in vision-related quality of life, according to consensus statements from the World Glaucoma Association presented here.

Choosing when to treat ocular hypertensive patients and patients diagnosed with glaucoma can be a difficult decision, according to Felipe A. Medeiros, MD, PhD, who presented statements at the World Glaucoma Congress from a WGA consensus meeting last year outlining indications for initiating therapy.

“We treat our patients to preserve their visual function and their visual-related quality of life. That’s really the ultimate goal of glaucoma treatment. It’s not really just degrees in the pressure and getting 3 mm Hg when you do tonometry,” he said.

Patients who have glaucoma that impairs their everyday lives are more likely to be unsatisfied and need therapy initiated, according to Dr. Medeiros. Life expectancy, general health status and patient expectations are important factors to consider.

“What’s the bottom line here? We need to actually treat to maintain a slow rate of change over time, but we also need to diagnose early,” Dr. Medeiros said.

Disclosure: Dr. Medeiros is a consultant for Alcon, Allergan and Pfizer.