Purpose: To obtain useful information for the improvement of patient compliance in the medical treatment of glaucoma.
Subjects and methods: An unsigned attitude survey on glaucoma and eye drops was conducted with 431 glaucoma patients. Correlation between compliance and individual(objective and subjective) factors was investigated. Objective factors were age, sex, number of eye drop products, duration of disease, and degree of visual field defects. Subjective factors were "stinging sensation with application of eye drops" and "worry about blindness".
Results: Thirty-eight percent of the glaucoma patients were compliant, instilling eye drops at the right time and with good technique. For the factor "duration of disease", patients who had glaucoma for 6-10 years had the best compliance. Compliance became poorer with an increasing number of eye drop products. In the subjective factors, less pain and worry led patients to better compliance.
Conclusion: To improve compliance with medical treatment, we should categorize patients based on objective factors, eliminating their pain and worry, and instructing them not only in the frequency of instillation but also in the technique of administration.