2024 survey of the frequency of fixed-combination eye drop use by patients with glaucoma at multiple private...

To investigate the current (2024) use of fixed-combination eye drops in Japanese patients with glaucoma.

Cross-sectional survey.

The survey included 6323 outpatients (6323 eyes) with glaucoma or ocular hypertension at 82 private practices from March 10 to 16, 2024. The use of fixed-combination eye drops, including prostaglandin F (FP) receptor agonist/β-blocker (FP/β), carbonic anhydrase inhibitor/β-blocker (CAI/β), α2-adrenergic agonist/β-blocker (α2/β), α2-adrenergic agonist/carbonic anhydrase inhibitor (α2/CAI), and α2-adrenergic agonist/Rho-associated protein kinase (α2/ROCK), was analyzed, stratified by the number of medications used. The results were compared with those of a 2020 survey via χ² tests.

FP/β, CAI/β, α2/β, α2/CAI, and α2/ROCK were used by respectively 56.4%, 8.0%, 2.2%, 2.9%, and 0.6% of 2-medication users; 42.5%, 30.2%, 3.2%, 11.2%, and 4.1% of 3-medication users; and 56.6%, 32.1%, 1.7%, 45.5%, and 14.4% of ≥4-medication users. FP/β were the most commonly used in all groups. Compared with the previous survey, the use of FP/β increased significantly in all groups, while that of CAI/β decreased significantly. Among four-medication users, 228 patients (44.4%) used two types of fixed-combination eye drops. In this group, FP/β + α2/CAI (186 cases) was the most common. Among five-medication users, 186 patients (69.9%) used two types of fixed-combination eye drops. In this group, FP/β + α2/CAI + one additional drug (131 cases) was the most common.

Fixed-combination eye drops were used in >70% of patients using 2 medications and >90% of patients using ≥3 medications. Over time, the use of FP/β increased, while the use of CAI/β decreased.