Objective:
We aimed to compare the demographics, awareness about glaucoma, and adherence to the treatment between the young and old population of primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) patients.
Methods:
The POAG patients who were under follow-up in Bakırköy Training and Research Hospital Ophthalmology Clinic and were using medication since at least one year and volunteered for our survey were included this cross-sectional study between April and May 2018. Two surveys which included 13 questions and were used in previous studies were enriched with 6 additional questions and applied to the patients. The patients were divided into two groups according to the World Health Organization’s classification in regard to age as ≤65 years (young patients) and >65 years (old patients) and compared in regards to the survey questions.
Results:
There was not statistically significant between the two groups in regards to gender, general awareness about glaucoma, regular follow-up, regular drug use, family history of glaucoma, disability in hand and arm movements, duration of glaucoma (p>0.05 for all). There was a statistical difference between the two groups in regards to the education level (the patients ≤65 years were more educated, p=0.03), awareness of blindness secondary to the disease (more frequent in the patients ≤65 years old, p=0.02), awareness of drug’s brand (more frequent in the patients ≤65 years old, p=0.003), requiring assistance while using the drugs (more frequent in the group of patients >65 years-old, p=0.01), monthly number of forgetting the drug doses (more frequent in the group of patients >65 years-old, p=0.006), living alone (more frequent in the group of patients >65 years-old, p=0.02), and the number of used drugs (more frequent in the group of patients >65 years-old, p=0.03).
Conclusion:
It is obvious that the patients who are >65 years old will be less adherent to glaucoma treatment as they more frequently require assistance for drug use and live alone.
Keywords: Glaucoma, drug, adherence