'Experienced' patients still have difficulty administering glaucoma drops

Even patients experienced with instilling topical glaucoma medications continue to have difficulties with eye drop administration, even those who do not self-report such difficulties, according to a recent study published in Current Medical Research and Opinion. Further, the risk of having difficulties with eye drop instillation is increased in patients who self-report difficulty and in those who have been previously observed to have difficulties.

For this multicenter, investigator-masked, randomized, controlled trial, 164 patients with glaucoma or ocular hypertension were included. Patients were randomized to 12 weeks of treatment with topical ocular hypotensive medication.

At baseline, patients were given a self-assessment questionnaire designed to determine their difficulty with drop administration. At baseline and at 12 weeks, patients demonstrated their drop instillation efficacy using a bottle of artificial tears.

A full 50% of patients had already undergone treatment with an ocular hypotensive medication for ≥ 3 years. At study entry, only 11.4% reported having difficulties with eye drop administration. At baseline, 18.2% touched their eye/adnexa with the bottle and 10.3% missed the eye. At 12 weeks, 18.5% and 8.6% of patients had these problems, respectively.

Overall, difficulty with drop instillation was seen in 42.1% of patients. Difficulty at both visits was seen in 35.3% of patients who reported difficulties at study entry, and in 17.2% of patients who reported no difficulties. Relative risk of demonstrating difficulty at either visits was 2.0 times greater for patients with self-reported difficulties at study entry (P = 0.004). Relative risk of demonstrating difficulty at week 12 was 3.8 times greater for patients with observed difficulties at baseline (P

To access the results of this study, click here.