Purpose: To evaluate the compliance of glaucoma patients to medical treatment and its impact on the intraocular pressure (IOP) and to verify the associated risk factors for noncompliance.
Methods: All recruited patients were examined at the ophthalmology clinics of King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia between May and August 2012. Patients were interviewed and subjected to answer a questionnaire that was developed based on a pilot test. Collected data included age, gender, number of prescribed drugs, and different reasons for noncompliance to the prescribed drugs.
Results: Noncompliance was detected in 18 (19.4%) of the recruited patients. Factors associated with noncompliance demonstrated a trend toward older patients, males, patients with lower IOP at presentation, higher cup to disc ratio, and drug self-administering patients. However, the only statistically significant characteristic was being under lifelong medications (P = 0.005).
Conclusion: Noncompliance was detected in around one-fifth of our glaucoma patients, particularly, the older group. Awareness programs, maintaining good patient-physician relationship, and personalizing treatment can lead to better adherence to treatment.