Glaucoma prescribing trends in Australia and New Zealand.
OBJECTIVE
To summarize current practice styles and patterns associated with glaucoma management in ophthalmologists of Australia and New Zealand as derived from a survey.


METHODS
A questionnaire was sent to all Australian and New Zealand ophthalmologists, which anonymously assessed demographic characteristics and prescribing patterns for each major class of glaucoma medication.


RESULTS
A total of 761 questionnaires were sent with a response rate of 51%. Of respondents 14% were glaucoma subspecialists. In 69%, the first-line drug-class of choice was a prostaglandin analogue. New Zealand ophthalmologists favoured beta-blockers as their first-line agent because of cost, government restrictions and familiarity. Most respondents stated "hypotensive efficacy" as the most important factor in class choice. Alpha-2-agonists, carbonic anhydrase inhibitors and miotics were considered second-line agents, because of side-effects and lack of hypotensive potency.


CONCLUSIONS
The choice of first-line agent for the treatment of glaucoma differed between Australian and New Zealand ophthalmologists, in part as the result of government restriction of prostaglandin-class drugs. Practice patterns seen in Australasia parallel the current evidence base reported in peer-reviewed literature.
Carroll
Stuart C
SC
Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
Gaskin
Brent J
BJ
Goldberg
Ivan
I
Danesh-Meyer
Helen V
HV