Changes in glaucoma medication numbers after cataract and glaucoma surgery: A nationwide population-based study

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness.
• Managing glaucoma often requires long-term medication use, which can impact patient adherence and quality of life.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of cataract surgery (CS), glaucoma surgery (GS), and combined cataract and glaucoma surgery (CGS) on the usage of glaucoma medications.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of patients diagnosed with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) or primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) between 1998-2011.
• Patients were categorized into CS, GS, or CGS groups, with surgeries performed after glaucoma diagnosis.
• Glaucoma medication prescriptions were compared before and after surgical intervention over a 3-year follow-up period.

Main Results:

• All surgical interventions (CS, GS, CGS) led to a significant reduction in the mean number of glaucoma medications per prescription.
• Medication use decreased significantly at multiple time points post-surgery (within 6 months, 6 months-2 years, 2-3 years).
• The most pronounced reduction in medication usage was observed in the CS group, with similar trends in POAG and PACG patients.

Conclusions:

• CS, GS, and CGS are effective in reducing the reliance on glaucoma medications for patients with POAG and PACG.
• Cataract surgery alone demonstrated the greatest efficacy in decreasing medication requirements.