Journal of Current Glaucoma Practice

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2015 | May-August | Volume 9 | Issue 2

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EDITORIAL

Tarek Shaarawy

Editorial

[Year:2015] [Month:May-August] [Volume:9] [Number:2] [Pages:1] [Pages No:0 - 0]

   DOI: 10.5005/jocgp-9-2-vii  |  Open Access |  How to cite  | 

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Original Article

Chirayu Mohindroo

How ‘Drug Aware’ are our Glaucoma Patients?

[Year:2015] [Month:May-August] [Volume:9] [Number:2] [Pages:5] [Pages No:33 - 37]

Keywords: Eyedrops, Glaucoma, IOP

   DOI: 10.5005/jp-journals-10008-1181  |  Open Access |  How to cite  | 

Abstract

Background: Poor knowledge, attitude and self-care practices (KAP) as regards medication compliance is a major concern in the management of glaucoma. This study aims to evaluate the knowledge, attitude regarding eyedrop instillation and self-care practices pertaining to eyedrops in diagnosed glaucoma patients. Methods: In this cross-sectional, open-ended questionnaire-based study, 101 consecutive glaucoma patients on medication were recruited from an urban tertiary care hospital of North India. A self-designed 10-point KAP questionnaire that addressed patient-, medication-, environment- and physicians related factors was used. For each desirable answer, the participant gives a score of 1 was given and for each undesirable answer a score of ‘0’ was given for each question. The total scores for each domain were calculated separately along with the total score. The association between the individual domain scores, the total score and various sociodemographic parameters were compared using unpaired t-test. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) test was used to compare the means, where the exposure variable had more than two categories. Results: Out of 101 participants, 98% knew the reason why they were instilling the medicine. Only 61.4% subjects knew that the eyedrops should be stored in cool and dry place. Nearly 30% participants believed that two eyedrops could be instilled back to back. Half of the participants (55.4%) did not consider missing a dose of medicine to be significant. Majority (89.1%) of the participants asked the doctor about the drug dosage and timings and 71.3% of them did not use the eyedrops beyond 40 days after opening the vial. 37.6% participants believed that the medicine could be discontinued without asking the doctor, once the symptoms are relieved. Eighty percent patients checked the vial for correct drug name and expiry date before buying. 57.4% of the participants washed their hands before instilling the eyedrops. Only 23.8% patients asked their doctor for alternate medication name, in case they do not get the primary medication. There were no statistically significant differences in the mean domain and total scores between males and females and between urban and rural patients. There were no statistically significant differences in knowledge (p = 0.059) and attitude (p = 0.809) scores in people with different educational qualification. But education had a statistically significant relation with the practice scores (p = 0.004) and total scores (p = 0.047). Conclusion(s): There exists marked variation in the reported practices, even in the very basic prerequisites of instilling eye-drops like washing of hands, checking the expiry date before the usage of eyedrops. The findings in our study suggest a need to better educate our patients by providing them detailed information about eyedrop and its administration. This would help to reduce patients’ frustration, improve compliance and increase the efficacy of anti-glaucoma therapy.

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Original Article

Vishnu S Gupta, Harindersingh Sethi, Mayuresh Naik

Strategies to Improve Glaucoma Compliance Based on Cross-Sectional Response-Based Data in a Tertiary Healthcare Center: The Glauco-Jung Study

[Year:2015] [Month:May-August] [Volume:9] [Number:2] [Pages:9] [Pages No:38 - 46]

Keywords: Compliance, Cost of medications, Glaucoma

   DOI: 10.5005/jp-journals-10008-1182  |  Open Access |  How to cite  | 

Abstract

Purpose: To elucidate compliance rates among glaucoma patients in a tertiary healthcare center, reasons for noncompliance and response-based-solutions to improve compl iance in the same cohort. Materials and methods: In the Glauco-Jung study, a cross-sectional descriptive epidemiological one, information was obtained from 500 patients from 1st January, 2014 to 30th June, 2014. Patients were intercepted at entry point where they get their intraocular pressure (IOP) checked, wherein they were asked to fill an exhaustive questionnaire. At the same setting, they were also asked to demonstrate how they (or their relatives or helpers) instill eyedrops, following which any irregularities were brought to notice and corrected. Finally, they were also asked any suggestions to improve compliance to medications. Noncompliance rates were determined based on the number of patients who did not instill anti-glaucoma medications as per prescribed dosage or frequency schedule. Noncompliance rates were then evaluated by the Chi-square test for any association with distributions based on various parameters. Results: In case of a positive association, correlation coefficient was further calculated to know the strength of this association. No association was observed in distributions based on diet, associated co-morbidities, daily dosage frequency and side-effects experienced by patients. Positive association was noted in distributions based on age, sex, duration of treatment, social structure and number of medications (p < 0.05); but correlation coefficients were very weak (c < 0.3). Cost of medications not only had positive association but also had a very strong correlation coefficient (c = 0.9188), proving that cost of medications had a modest bearing on compliance rates. Conclusion: The Glauco-Jung study concluded that besides availability of medications at reasonable cost, simplification of treatment regimen and interactive health education appear to be the most important factors for improving compliance so that patients do not feel guilty or inadequate because they have problems while administering their eyedrops.

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Original Article

Gabriel Lazcano-Gomez, Armando Castillejos, Malik Kahook, Jesus Jimenez-Roman, Roberto Gonzalez-Salinas

Videographic Assessment of Glaucoma Drop Instillation

[Year:2015] [Month:May-August] [Volume:9] [Number:2] [Pages:4] [Pages No:47 - 50]

Keywords: Education, Instillation, Intervention, Short-term, Technique

   DOI: 10.5005/jp-journals-10008-1183  |  Open Access |  How to cite  | 

Abstract

Purpose: To assess the effect of patient education on videotaped topical instillation of artificial tear drops on subsequent topical instillation. Materials and methods: Forty-five patients, who had been using glaucoma drops for at least 6 months and with a best-corrected visual acuity of 20/100 or better, were studied. The patients were asked to instill an artificial tear drop using their accustomed technique while being video recorded. The patients viewed the recordings, and the errors in their drop instillation method were pointed out. This was followed by an educational session on proper drop instillation technique. After 30 minutes, patients were videotaped instilling drops to ascertain the effect of the educational session. The variables compared were: number of drops instilled, number of drops reaching the ocular surface, and the number of times the tip of the medication bottle touched the eye or ocular adnexa. Results: Before the instruction session, patients squeezed an average of 1.5 ± 0.9 drops from the bottle, and the average number of drops reaching the conjunctival fornix was 0.9 ± 0.7. The tip of the bottle touched the ocular adnexa in 29/45 (64.4%) patients. After the education session, the patients squeezed an average of 1.2 ± 0.5 drops and an average of 1.2 ± 0.4 drops reached the conjunctival fornix. The tip of the bottle touched the ocular adnexa in 13/45 (28.9%) patients. With proper instructions, the percentage of patients that instilled just one drop on the eye increased from 66 to 82%. Conclusion: A single educational session on the proper use of topical drops improves the successful instillation of eye drops. However, it was not determined whether the patients will retain the improved instillation technique for long-term or if the intervention results in only a short-term improvement.

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REVIEW ARTICLE

Parul Ichhpujani, Tarek Shaarawy

Surgery on the Trabecular Meshwork: Histopathological Evidence

[Year:2015] [Month:May-August] [Volume:9] [Number:2] [Pages:11] [Pages No:51 - 61]

Keywords: Aqueous outflow and resistance, Histopathological basis of glaucoma surgery, Outflow facility, Trabecular meshwork

   DOI: 10.5005/jp-journals-10008-1184  |  Open Access |  How to cite  | 

Abstract

Juxtacanalicular (JXT) trabecular meshwork and endothelial lining of Schlemm's canal have been cited as the loci of aqueous outflow resistance, both in a normal as well as a glaucomatous eye. In this review, we attempt to understand the currently available surgical modalities in light of the available histopathological evidence, regarding localization of outflow resistance.

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CASE REPORT

Tamara L Berezina, Robert D Fechtner, Amir Cohen, Eliott E Kim

New Technique of Exposed Glaucoma Drainage Tube Repair: Report of a Case

[Year:2015] [Month:May-August] [Volume:9] [Number:2] [Pages:3] [Pages No:62 - 64]

Keywords: Conjunctiva deficiency, Corneal patch graft, Glaucoma drainage device, Keratoglobus, Wound healing

   DOI: 10.5005/jp-journals-10008-1185  |  Open Access |  How to cite  | 

Abstract

We present the case of successful repair of an exposed glaucoma drainage tube by cornea graft fixation with tissue adhesive, and without subsequent coverage by adjacent conjunctiva or donor tissues. Patient with history of keratoglobus with thin cornea and sclera, and phthisical contralateral eye, underwent three unsuccessful corneal grafts followed by Boston type 1 keratoprosthesis in the right eye. Ahmed drainage device with sclera patch graft was implanted to control the intraocular pressure. Two years later the tube eroded through sclera graft and conjunctiva. Repair was performed by covering the tube with a corneal patch graft secured by tissue adhesive after the conjunctiva in this area was dissected away. The cornea graft was left uncovered due to fragility of adjacent conjunctiva. The healing of ocular and graft surfaces was complete prior to the 1 month follow-up. Conjunctival epithelium covered the corneal patch graft. At 12 months follow-up, the graft and the tube remained stable. Our report suggests that corneal patch graft fixation to the sclera by means of tissue adhesive, without closing the conjunctiva, can be considered as an effective alternative surgical approach for managing exposed glaucoma drainage tube, accompanied by adjacent conjunctiva tissue deficiency.

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