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Factors affecting eye drop instillation in glaucoma patients with visual field defect
Tomoko Naito1, Koji Namiguchi2, Keiji Yoshikawa3
1Department of Ophthalmology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Okayama, Japan.
Plos One
|October 13, 2017
Summary
Glaucoma patients have a significantly lower success rate when instilling eye drops compared to non-glaucoma volunteers. Factors like reduced visual acuity and visual field defects contribute to instillation failure in glaucoma patients.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Clinical Research
Background:
- Glaucoma management relies heavily on topical ocular medications.
- Effective eye drop instillation is crucial for maintaining intraocular pressure and preventing vision loss.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the success rates of eye drop instillation between glaucoma patients with visual field defects and non-glaucoma volunteers.
- To identify factors influencing successful eye drop administration in glaucoma patients.
Main Methods:
- A prospective, observational study involving 78 glaucoma patients and 85 non-glaucoma volunteers.
- Participants video-recorded their eye drop instillation procedure using artificial tears.
- Success was defined as the first drop successfully applied to the cornea, assessed by two independent investigators.
Main Results:
- The success rate of eye drop instillation was significantly lower in glaucoma patients (38.5%) compared to non-glaucoma volunteers (56.5%).
- Common failure in glaucoma patients involved touching the eye or eyelids with the bottle tip (29.5%).
- Lower corrected visual acuity (≤1.0), mean deviation (< -12 dB), and inferior hemifield visual field defects were significantly associated with instillation failure.
Conclusions:
- Glaucoma patients exhibit a lower success rate in self-administering eye drops.
- Impaired visual acuity, reduced mean deviation, and inferior visual field defects are key factors contributing to eye drop instillation failure in glaucoma patients.
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