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Patient adherence to prescribed medications is critical to prevent progression of glaucoma. This review summarizes recent literature about glaucoma treatment adherence including current strategies to aid in medication administration and opportunities for improvement. Multiple studies have identified poor medication adherence as a major contributor to disease progression in glaucoma. There have been a variety of proposed and investigated techniques to improve adherence including eye drop monitors and reminders, patient education programs, eye drop delivery aids, and alternative medication delivery systems. Many approaches have shown promise in helping to improve medication adherence. A multifaceted and individualized patient treatment strategy is required to face this complex problem.

To compare a nose-pivoted drop delivery device (NPDD) with traditional eye drop delivery in glaucoma subjects.Repeated-measures case series.Fifty glaucoma subjects (100 eyes) who reported difficulty self-administering eye drops.We compared eye drop delivery using a NPDD against traditional delivery techniques at baseline (baseline traditional) and after standardized teaching (post-teaching traditional). Subjects used a 1-to-10 scale (10 being easiest) to rate the ease of delivery with each technique and completed a satisfaction survey. Two graders used digital video to independently review eye drop delivery and recorded: (1) accurate placement: the eye drop reached the ocular surface; (2) no contact: no bottle tip contact against the ocular or periocular surface; and (3)number of eye drops dispensed. We defined primary success as accurate placement and no contact; secondary success as primary success with only 1 drop dispensed.We used logistic-transformed generalized estimating equation (GEE) regression to compare technique satisfaction, accuracy, no contact, and primary and secondary success. Number of drops dispensed was compared using a Cox model.Forty-seven of 50 subjects (94%) preferred the NPDD over traditional eye drop delivery. The mean score for ease of use was higher for the NPDD (8.9 ± 1.1) than baseline traditional (6.7 ± 2.1; P0.001) and post-teaching traditional (7.0 ± 2.0; P0.001). Forty-nine of 50 (98%) subjects thought the NPDD was comfortable to use and would recommend the device. The eye drop reached the ocular surface in a similar percentage of subjects (90%) with each method. The bottle tip contacted fewer eyes with the NPDD (10 eyes) than baseline traditional (33 eyes; P0.001) and post-teaching traditional (25 eyes; P = 0.009). The number of drops dispensed was lower with the NPDD (1.7 ± 1.2) than baseline traditional (2.2 ± 1.6; P = 0.017) and post-teaching traditional (2.4 ± 1.8; P = 0.006). The NPDD increased primary and secondary success of eye drop delivery (86% and 54%, respectively) compared to baseline traditional (66% [P = 0.001] and 28% [P0.001]) and post-teaching traditional (70% [P = 0.005] and 40% [P = 0.018]).Eye drop users preferred the NPDD over traditional eye drop delivery. The NPDD improved eye drop delivery success, reduced bottle tip contact, and decreased the number of eye drops wasted.

Clinicians use both global and point-wise information from visual fields to assess the rate of glaucomatous functional progression. We asked which objective, quantitative measures best correlated with subjective assessment by glaucoma experts. In particular, we aimed to determine how much that judgment was based on localized rates of change vs. on global indices reported by the perimeter.Prospective cohort study.Eleven academic, expert glaucoma specialists independently scored the rate of functional progression, from 1 (improvement) to 7 (very rapid progression), for a series of 5 biannual clinical printouts from 100 glaucoma or glaucoma suspect eyes of 51 participants, 20 of which were scored twice to assess repeatability.Regression models were used to predict the average of the 11 clinicians' scores based on objective rates of change of mean deviation (MD), visual field index (VFI), pattern standard deviation (PSD), the Nth fastest progressing location, and the Nth fastest progressing of 10 anatomically defined clusters of locations after weighting by eccentricity.Correlation between the objective rates of change and the average of the 11 clinicians' scores.The average MD of the study eyes was -2.4 dB (range, -16.8 to +2.8 dB). The mean clinician score was highly repeatable, with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.95. It correlated better with the rate of change of VFI (pseudo-RExpert academic glaucoma specialists' assessment of the rate of change correlated best with VFI rates, except in eyes with a VFI near the ceiling of 100%. Sensitivities averaged within clusters of locations have been shown to detect change sooner, but the experts' opinions correlated more closely with global VFI. This could be because it is currently the only index for which the perimeter automatically provides a quantitative estimate of the rate of functional progression.

OCT scans contain large amounts of information, but clinicians often rely on reported layer thicknesses when assessing the rate of glaucomatous progression. We sought to determine which of these quantifications most closely relate to the subjective assessment of glaucoma experts who had all the diagnostic information available.Prospective cohort study.Eleven glaucoma specialists independently scored the rate of structural progression from a series of 5 biannual clinical OCT printouts.A total of 100 glaucoma or glaucoma suspect eyes of 51 participants were included; 20 were scored twice to assess repeatability. Scores ranged from 1 (improvement) to 7 (very rapid progression). Generalized estimating equation linear models were used to predict the mean clinician score from the rates of change of retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT) or minimum rim width (MRW) globally or in the most rapidly thinning of the 6 sectors.The correlation between the objective rates of change and the average of the 11 clinicians' scores.Average RNFLT within the series of study eyes was 79.3 μm (range, 41.4-126.6). Some 95% of individual clinician scores varied by ≤ 1 point when repeated. The mean clinician score was more strongly correlated with the rate of change of RNFLT in the most rapidly changing sector in %/year (pseudo-RThe rate of change of RNFLT in the most rapidly changing sector predicted experts' assessment of the rate of structural progression better than global rates or MRW. Sectoral rates may be a useful addition to current clinical printouts.

When compared with cataract surgery in glaucoma patients, trabecular micro-bypass and goniotomy resulted in a large decrease in the incidence of intraocular pressure (IOP) spikes, a modest effect on IOP, and a minimal effect on medication burden.To compare changes in IOP and ocular hypotensive medications in 3 surgical cohorts: cataract surgery, cataract surgery with trabecular micro-bypass (cataract/trabecular), and cataract surgery with goniotomy (cataract/goniotomy).We included 138 eyes diagnosed with open-angle glaucoma: (1) 84 eyes with cataract surgery alone, (2) 25 eyes with cataract/trabecular surgery, and (3) 29 eyes with cataract/goniotomy surgery. We compared the groups for postoperative IOP and the number of ocular hypotensive medications. We adjusted for preoperative IOP, and preoperative and postoperative number of ocular hypotensive medications. We defined an IOP spike as IOP ≥21 mm Hg and 10 mm Hg higher than preoperative on postoperative day 1.All 3 surgeries showed a decrease in IOP (P≤0.004) and medication burden (P≤0.001) at 3 and 6 months postoperatively when compared with their own preoperative baselines. When compared with cataract surgery alone, cataract/trabecular and cataract/goniotomy had similar IOP lowering at 1 month postoperatively, and variable results at 3 and 6 months. The change in ocular hypotensive medications was not statistically different between the surgical groups at any postoperative visit. Cataract/trabecular and cataract/goniotomy decreased IOP on postoperative day 1, and had relative risk reduction of ~70% for IOP spikes (P≤0.001 for both).Trabecular micro-bypass and goniotomy when added to cataract surgery resulted in a large decrease in IOP spikes, a modest effect on IOP, and a minimal effect on medication burden when compared with cataract surgery alone in glaucoma patients.

PURPOSE: To assess glaucoma specialists’ detection of optic nerve head (ONH) rim tissue that is thin by optical coherence tomography (OCT) criteria. DESIGN: Reliability analysis METHODS: 5 clinicians marked the disc margin (DM) and rim margin (RM) on stereo-photos of 151 glaucoma or glaucoma suspect eyes obtained within 3 months of OCT imaging. The photo and OCT infrared image for each eye were colocalized and regionalized into twelve sectors relative to the axis between Bruch’s membrane opening (BMO) centroid and the fovea. For each clinician, the distance from BMO centroid to their DM (DM radius) and RM (RM radius) was used to generate sectoral rim width (RW) (DM radius – RM radius) and cup-to-disc ratio (CDR) (RM radius / DM radius) estimates. OCT minimum rim width (MRW) was determined by sector. Among all eyes, for each OCT MRW suspicious sector (< 5% of OCT normative data base), we determined each clinician’s detection (clinician CDR ≥ 0.7). RESULTS: Clinicians most commonly failed to detect OCT suspicious rim tissue in the nasal sectors. Among 502 sectors with suspicious OCT MRW all 5 clinicians rated CDR ≥ 0.7 in only 29.5% and all 5 clinicians rated CDR < 0.7 in 21%. OCT suspicious rim thickness was most common (32% of eyes) in the nasal and inferior sectors. MRW vs clinician RW discordance was greatest nasally, while BMO vs clinician DM discordance was greatest temporally. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians most commonly failed to detect OCT suspicious rim thickness nasally where suspicious rim tissues were also most common.

Purpose: To describe the prevalence and causes of clinically detectable uveitic serous retinal detachment (SRD). Methods: Retrospective chart review of a large clinic-based series. Results: Serous retinal detachment was present in 78 of the 2761 (2.8%) patients. Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease was the most commonly identified cause (38/78, 48.7%). Less common associated etiologies included toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis (8/78, 10.3%), sarcoidosis (5/78, 6.4%), intraocular lymphoma (4/78, 5.1%), presumed tuberculosis (3/78, 3.8%), and posterior scleritis (2/78, 2.6%). Fifteen patients (19.2%) with uveitic SRD at presentation had no identifiable etiology and were labeled idiopathic or indeterminant. Thirty of the 38 patients with VKH disease (78.9%) had positive neurological and/or integumentary findings, and therefore constituted either complete or incomplete subtypes of the disease. The remaining eight (21.1%) had presumed/ocular VKH disease limited to the eye. Conclusion: While VKH disease by far is the most common cause of clinically detectable uveitic SRD, a number of other non-infectious and infectious inflammatory disorders were also associated with this distinctive clinical finding.

PURPOSE: To quantify the variability of 5 glaucoma specialists’ optic disc margin (DM), rim margin (RM) and rim width (RW) estimates. DESIGN: Inter-Observer Reliability analysis. METHODS: Clinicians viewed stereo-photos from 214 subjects with glaucoma or ocular hypertension and digitally marked the DM and RM. For each photo, the centroid of each clinician’s DM was calculated, and an averaged DM(centroid) was determined. The axis between the DM(centroid) and the fovea was used to establish twelve 30° sectors. Measurements from the DM centroid to each clinician’s DM (DM(radius)) and RM (RM(radius)) were used to generate a RW (DM(radius) – RM(radius)) and cup disc ratio (CDR) (RM(radius)/DM(radius)) by sector. Parameter means, standard deviations and coefficient of variations (COVs) were calculated across all clinicians for each eye. Parameter means for each clinician, and intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC), were calculated across all eyes by sector. RESULTS: Among all eyes, the median COV by sector ranged from 3–5% for DM(radius), 20–25% for RM(radius), and 26–30% for RW. Sectoral ICCs for CDR ranged from 0.566 to 0.668. Sectors suspicious for rim thinning by one clinician were frequently overlooked by others. Among 1724 sectors in which at least one clinician was suspicious for rim thinning, (CDR ≥ 0.7), all 5 clinicians’ CDRs were ≥ 0.7 in only 499 (29%) and 2 of the 5 clinicians failed to detect rim thinning (CDR < 0.7) in 442 (26%). CONCLUSION: In this study, glaucoma specialist RM, DM and RW discordance was frequent and substantial even in sectors that were suspicious for rim thinning.

Importance Ophthalmologists rely on accurate concentrations of mitomycin C (MMC) to prevent scarring with trabeculectomy surgery. To our knowledge, the concentration accuracy and variability of compounded MMC are unknown. Objective To determine whether the measured concentration differs from the expected concentration of 0.4 mg/mL of MMC used in ophthalmic surgery. Design, Setting, and Participants Laboratory experimental investigation conducted in July 2013. We acquired 60 samples of 0.4 mg/mL of MMC from a spectrum of common compounding and storage techniques (refrigeration, freezing, and immediately compounded dry powder) and a variety of pharmacies (an academic hospital, a community hospital, and an independent Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board–accredited pharmacy). We used C18 reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography to measure the MMC concentration of all samples. We used pure MMC (Medisca Inc) to generate calibration curves and sulfanilamide as an internal standard. Main Outcomes and Measures We calculated MMC concentration using a calibration curve (range, 0.3-0.5 mg/mL) generated by dividing MMC peak area by internal standard peak area and plotting the area ratio against the calibrant concentrations. We compared the measured concentration against the expected 0.4 mg/mL concentration for all samples. Results Measurement of MMC using the high-performance liquid chromatography method demonstrated acceptable accuracy (92%-100%), precision (2%-6% coefficient of variation), and linearity (mean correlation coefficient of r 2 = 0.99). The measured MMC concentration determined using the high-performance liquid chromatography method for all samples was 12.5% lower than the expected 0.4 mg/mL value (mean [SD], 0.35 [0.04] mg/mL; 95% CI, 0.34-0.36; P Conclusions and Relevance Common compounding and storage techniques for MMC resulted in a lower accuracy and wider range of concentration than expected. These differences in concentration may result from compounding techniques and/or MMC degradation. Variability in MMC concentration could cause inconsistency in glaucoma surgical results, but the clinical relevance of such findings on glaucoma surgery outcomes remains unknown.

To compare the effects of common pharmacy preparation and storage conditions on the stability of mitomycin C (MMC) in solution.We used C18 reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography to determine the stability of 0.4 mg/mL MMC solutions, and liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry to identify degradation products. Conditions compared were: compounding and storage by refrigeration (1 and 2 wk), freezing (23 d), shipment "on-ice" (1 mo frozen followed by 1-wk refrigeration), and immediately compounding dry powder (Mitosol; Mobius Therapeutics LLC). We tested 3 samples for each storage method when samples reached room temperature (time 0), and then 1, 4, and 24 hours later. We used MMC peak area as a percentage of total (MMC plus degradants) area detected with high-performance liquid chromatography as a measure of stability.We assessed MMC stability for 5 preparation and storage methods at 4 timepoints (with n=3 per timepoint). At time 0, we found similar stabilities for MMC (F=0.72, P=0.599) between all 5 storage methods: 1-week refrigerated (97.9±0.2%), dry powder (97.5±0.3%), 2-week refrigerated (96.9±0.2%), 23-day frozen (96.7±3.1%), and shipment on-ice (96.0±1.2%). However, MMC demonstrated significant degradation over a 24-hour period with 2-week refrigeration (95.7±0.3%, β=-0.1%/h, P0.001) and shipment on-ice (93.1±1.8%, β=-0.1%/h, P=0.013). We identified small amounts (3.2%) of 2 degradants, cis-hydroxymitosene and trans-hydroxymitosene, across all samples.The different preparation and storage methods of MMC showed similar stability when used immediately upon reaching room temperature. However, degradation of MMC occurred with further storage at room temperature. The clinical implication of small amounts of MMC degradants is unclear.