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Overcoming poor patient compliance key to effective glaucoma management
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NEW YORK — Ophthalmologists must actively participate in improving the compliance of their patients with glaucoma, said L. Jay Katz, MD. Failure to do so creates a “serious barrier” to treatment of the disease, he said.
Physicians must be effective in “selling” patients on the benefits of taking their prescribed medications for glaucoma, Dr. Katz said.
“If they don’t buy into the concept that there’s something wrong with them, they’re not going to buy into it at all,” he said. “Do as much as you can. Talk to the patient or talk to their family.”
Reasons patients are not compliant include the complexity of the regimen, the side effects of the medications and the cost burden, he said.
The expense of chronic medication is one of the most difficult compliance issues for patients, Dr. Katz said. If patients exceed the cap on their insurance plan, they often do not get refills for their glaucoma medications, he said.
Memory triggers can be helpful in assisting patients in remembering when and what dosage of medication to take, Dr. Katz said. Memory triggers can include alarm clocks, medical diaries, timers, pager services, labeled daily pill boxes and pictorial medical charts, he said.
A simple regimen of drugs with minimal side effects also helps improve patient compliance, Dr. Katz said.
He spoke about compliance issues here at the New Frontiers in Glaucoma II meeting, presented by Columbia University.