Prevalence of the use of complementary and alternative medicine for glaucoma.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for glaucoma, explore possible demographic and disease-related associations, and inquire about the perceived benefit of these treatments.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


METHODS
One thousand twenty-seven consecutive patients from two urban, referral glaucoma practices.


METHODS
Use of CAM specifically for glaucoma.


RESULTS
The response rate was 97.4%. The percentage of people reporting use of CAM for glaucoma was 5.4% (54 of 1000 subjects) with 32 of these 54 (59%) having used more than one type. The percentages of those using the various types of nontraditional medicine were: megavitamin therapy (62.9%), herbal therapy (57.4%), exercise (24.0%), diet modification (22.2%), meditation, (1.8%), acupuncture (1.8%), faith healing (1.8%), and homeopathic remedies (1.8%). Patients who used CAM were more likely to be educated beyond high school (P = 0.0014) and less likely to be retired (P = 0.0053). Use of nontraditional therapy was not strongly associated with race (P = 0.044), age (P = 0.062), gender (P = 0.24), length of diagnosis (P = 0.91), or number of glaucoma medications (P = 0.58). Of those using nontraditional therapy, 52% believed that it was helpful, 39% were unsure, and 9% considered it not helpful; 72% discussed their use with an ophthalmologist. Seventy percent discovered it from sources other than providers of either traditional or nontraditional care.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of CAM use for glaucoma was 5.4% (95% confidence interval, 4.0%--6.4%). Most glaucoma patients currently cared for by ophthalmologists do not use nontraditional medicine.
Rhee
Douglas J
DJ
Glaucoma Service, Wills Eye Hospital, Thomas Jefferson University, 900 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA.
Spaeth
George L
GL
Myers
Jonathan S
JS
Steinmann
William C
WC
Augsburger
James J
JJ
Shatz
Lauren J
LJ
Terebuh
Annette K
AK
Ritner
Julie A
JA
Katz
L Jay
LJ
D000368:Aged; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data