Estimation of Topical Glaucoma Medication Over-Prescription and Its Associated Factors

Abstract

This study aims to report the disparity between the ideal and actual quantities of eyedrops prescribed to individual glaucoma patients. This retrospective observational study included 676 patients receiving treatment with antiglaucoma topical medication(s) in at least one eye. These patients had follow-up appointments scheduled at mean intervals of 3.4 ± 1.4 months and were actively using antiglaucoma medication. The mean age was 70.4 ± 11.9 years, with 372 (55%) being male. The over-prescription volume was 1.4 ± 1.7 bottles per month for each medication when prescribed for both eyes. Multiple regression analysis revealed that older age (p = 0.03), hyperopic refractive error (p < 0.0001), and the use of multiple medications (p = 0.03) were associated with a larger over-prescription volume, while the use of unit-dose medication only (p < 0.0001) was associated with a smaller over-prescription volume. Factors such as sex, Mini-Cog cognitive function score, best-corrected visual acuity, intraocular pressure, glaucoma type, and a history of cataract surgery were not significantly associated. This study revealed a significant over-prescription of eyedrops for glaucoma patients, with actual prescriptions often exceeding the theoretically ideal amount by 2.4 times, influenced by factors like age and the format of prescriptions, where unit-dose eyedrops show promise in reducing excess.