How is my Optic Nerve,
Doctor?
Doctor?
Eye drop installation
What is Compliance?
Compliance is the act of following the recommendations of your doctor. After all, an eye drop or any other drug will not work unless you use it correctly!
Failure to comply with your doctor's recommendations is not unique to glaucoma. In fact, it is widespread and occurs throughout medicine and with virtually all diseases. In fact, it is often the reason why medical treatment of a health-related problem is not successful. For several reasons, however, the glaucoma patient is particularly likely to comply poorly with their doctor's recommendations (Table 1).
Glaucoma Is Largely Asymptomatic An individual is often unaware that they have glaucoma until late in the course of the disease. In the most common type of glaucoma, there is generally no change in vision until the optic nerve is significantly damaged. Hence, many patients cannot be persuaded to undergo treatment, and even may deny the need for it.
Characteristics of Glaucoma Leading to Poor Compliance Asymptomatic disease (no symptoms).
Chronic disease requiring long-term therapy may require use of several medications.
Expense of treatment.
Inconvenience of treatment.
Benefit of treatment not apparent.
Local side-effects of treatment (burning, stinging,etc.).
Systemic (body) side- effects of treatment.
What is Compliance?
Compliance is the act of following the recommendations of your doctor. After all, an eye drop or any other drug will not work unless you use it correctly!
Failure to comply with your doctor's recommendations is not unique to glaucoma. In fact, it is widespread and occurs throughout medicine and with virtually all diseases. In fact, it is often the reason why medical treatment of a health-related problem is not successful. For several reasons, however, the glaucoma patient is particularly likely to comply poorly with their doctor's recommendations (Table 1).
Glaucoma Is Largely Asymptomatic An individual is often unaware that they have glaucoma until late in the course of the disease. In the most common type of glaucoma, there is generally no change in vision until the optic nerve is significantly damaged. Hence, many patients cannot be persuaded to undergo treatment, and even may deny the need for it.
Glaucoma is Chronic and Often Requires Lifelong Treatment
The most common types of glaucoma are chronic and require lifelong treatment. After being diagnosed with glaucoma, effective treatment may require the use of several medications. Use of these medications is often inconvenient and can be costly.
The Benefit of Glaucoma Treatment is Not Apparent
An important goal of glaucoma treatment is to prevent further vision loss. Most of the time, a treated glaucoma patient cannot tell whether or not they have been treated successfully. Even if treatment is effective, their vision is usually not improved.
Treatment with any drop will only lower eye pressure temporarily. Depending on the drop, the effective duration is between four and 24 hours. However, some patients only take eye drops before seeing their eye doctor. Others are only compliant using their eye drops immediately after seeing their eye doctor. Therefore, failure to use eye drops at the recommended regular intervals throughout the entire time between appointments is an important reason why glaucoma can continue to worsen in some patients.
Glaucoma Medications Have Side-Effects
Each of the medications used as an eye drop to treat glaucoma has a potential for having sideeffects. These side-effects may be serious, or they may be barely noticeable.
Some eye drops get absorbed into the blood, and can affect heart rate, blood pressure, breathing and even mental function. Either local sideeffects of the eye or general ones which affect other parts of the body can cause a patient to intentionally miss one or more doses of the eye drop. Patients may believe that avoiding the use of eye drops as prescribed by their doctor will make them feel better.
What Can Be Done to Improve Compliance?
Education is perhaps the most important single means for improving compliance. A patient who is educated about the nature of glaucoma and its treatment is most likely to be a better patient, and correctly use the eye drops.
Support from Patientīs Relatives
Both you and your eye doctor should enlist the support and cooperation of friends and relatives. Educating them about the effects of glaucoma and its treatment, as well as the importance of taking medications as directed, is often useful. For example, a spouse may assist you in using the eye drops so that they are properly placed and so that only one drop of a medication is given.Support from Patientīs Relatives Both you and your eye doctor should enlist the support and cooperation of friends and relatives. Educating them about the effects of glaucoma and its treatment, as well as the importance of taking medications as directed, is often useful. For example, a spouse may assist you in using the eye drops so that they are properly placed and so that only one drop of a medication is given.
Reducing Side-Effects
Reducing side-effects from eye drops is important for their safe use and can improve compliance. Depending on which eye drops are being used, this can be achieved in several different ways.
Correct Usage of Eye Drops
Perhaps most importantly, you should learn how to use your medications correctly. The method for taking eye drops correctly described earlier will decrease the amount that is absorbed undesirably into the blood.
A Simple Schedule
A schedule of eye drop use may be simplified by relating the time of administration to routine daily events such as awakening in the morning and going to sleep in the evening for once and twice daily use. For three times daily use, one may consider applying the eye drop at lunchtime as well. For four times daily use, a simplified schedule may involve use at breakfast, lunch, dinner and bedtime.
Compliance is the act of following the recommendations of your doctor. After all, an eye drop or any other drug will not work unless you use it correctly!
Failure to comply with your doctor's recommendations is not unique to glaucoma. In fact, it is widespread and occurs throughout medicine and with virtually all diseases. In fact, it is often the reason why medical treatment of a health-related problem is not successful. For several reasons, however, the glaucoma patient is particularly likely to comply poorly with their doctor's recommendations (Table 1).
Glaucoma Is Largely Asymptomatic An individual is often unaware that they have glaucoma until late in the course of the disease. In the most common type of glaucoma, there is generally no change in vision until the optic nerve is significantly damaged. Hence, many patients cannot be persuaded to undergo treatment, and even may deny the need for it.
Characteristics of Glaucoma Leading to Poor Compliance Asymptomatic disease (no symptoms).
Chronic disease requiring long-term therapy may require use of several medications.
Expense of treatment.
Inconvenience of treatment.
Benefit of treatment not apparent.
Local side-effects of treatment (burning, stinging,etc.).
Systemic (body) side- effects of treatment.
What is Compliance?
Compliance is the act of following the recommendations of your doctor. After all, an eye drop or any other drug will not work unless you use it correctly!
Failure to comply with your doctor's recommendations is not unique to glaucoma. In fact, it is widespread and occurs throughout medicine and with virtually all diseases. In fact, it is often the reason why medical treatment of a health-related problem is not successful. For several reasons, however, the glaucoma patient is particularly likely to comply poorly with their doctor's recommendations (Table 1).
Glaucoma Is Largely Asymptomatic An individual is often unaware that they have glaucoma until late in the course of the disease. In the most common type of glaucoma, there is generally no change in vision until the optic nerve is significantly damaged. Hence, many patients cannot be persuaded to undergo treatment, and even may deny the need for it.
Glaucoma is Chronic and Often Requires Lifelong Treatment
The most common types of glaucoma are chronic and require lifelong treatment. After being diagnosed with glaucoma, effective treatment may require the use of several medications. Use of these medications is often inconvenient and can be costly.
The Benefit of Glaucoma Treatment is Not Apparent
An important goal of glaucoma treatment is to prevent further vision loss. Most of the time, a treated glaucoma patient cannot tell whether or not they have been treated successfully. Even if treatment is effective, their vision is usually not improved.
Treatment with any drop will only lower eye pressure temporarily. Depending on the drop, the effective duration is between four and 24 hours. However, some patients only take eye drops before seeing their eye doctor. Others are only compliant using their eye drops immediately after seeing their eye doctor. Therefore, failure to use eye drops at the recommended regular intervals throughout the entire time between appointments is an important reason why glaucoma can continue to worsen in some patients.
Glaucoma Medications Have Side-Effects
Each of the medications used as an eye drop to treat glaucoma has a potential for having sideeffects. These side-effects may be serious, or they may be barely noticeable.
Some eye drops get absorbed into the blood, and can affect heart rate, blood pressure, breathing and even mental function. Either local sideeffects of the eye or general ones which affect other parts of the body can cause a patient to intentionally miss one or more doses of the eye drop. Patients may believe that avoiding the use of eye drops as prescribed by their doctor will make them feel better.
What Can Be Done to Improve Compliance?
Education is perhaps the most important single means for improving compliance. A patient who is educated about the nature of glaucoma and its treatment is most likely to be a better patient, and correctly use the eye drops.
Support from Patientīs Relatives
Both you and your eye doctor should enlist the support and cooperation of friends and relatives. Educating them about the effects of glaucoma and its treatment, as well as the importance of taking medications as directed, is often useful. For example, a spouse may assist you in using the eye drops so that they are properly placed and so that only one drop of a medication is given.Support from Patientīs Relatives Both you and your eye doctor should enlist the support and cooperation of friends and relatives. Educating them about the effects of glaucoma and its treatment, as well as the importance of taking medications as directed, is often useful. For example, a spouse may assist you in using the eye drops so that they are properly placed and so that only one drop of a medication is given.
Reducing Side-Effects
Reducing side-effects from eye drops is important for their safe use and can improve compliance. Depending on which eye drops are being used, this can be achieved in several different ways.
Correct Usage of Eye Drops
Perhaps most importantly, you should learn how to use your medications correctly. The method for taking eye drops correctly described earlier will decrease the amount that is absorbed undesirably into the blood.
A Simple Schedule
A schedule of eye drop use may be simplified by relating the time of administration to routine daily events such as awakening in the morning and going to sleep in the evening for once and twice daily use. For three times daily use, one may consider applying the eye drop at lunchtime as well. For four times daily use, a simplified schedule may involve use at breakfast, lunch, dinner and bedtime.
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