This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.

Straight talk from physicians can improve patient compliance

Add topic to email alerts

Receive an email when new articles are posted on

Please provide your email address to receive an email when new articles are posted on .

Subscribe

Added to email alerts

You've successfully added to your alerts. You will receive an email when new content is published.

Click Here to Manage Email Alerts

You've successfully added to your alerts. You will receive an email when new content is published.

Click Here to Manage Email Alerts

Back to Healio

We were unable to process your request. Please try again later. If you continue to have this issue please contact customerservice@slackinc.com.

Back to Healio

SINGAPORE — Physicians must provide patients with “good information” and offer realistic expectations if they want to improve patient compliance with glaucoma treatments, said one physician here.

“How we provide information is more important than what we provide,” Ivan Goldberg, MD, FRCS, told attendees at the Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology meeting.

Throughout 18 months, about 25% of patients will fail to fill a second prescription, Dr. Goldberg said. He added that 80% of patients either change or discontinue their prescription during those 18 months.

“Missing a single dose can cause a 4.6 mm Hg fluctuation in pressure,” Dr. Goldberg said at an Alcon-sponsored symposium.

Socioeconomic factors must be considered, Dr. Goldberg said, including lifelong physician visits, long-term costs and intrusive drug regimens.

“Minimizing the number of drugs will positively affect compliance,” he said.