[Management of ocular hypertension and chronic open-angle glaucoma by French ophthalmologists: the role of target intraocular pressure].
OBJECTIVE
A low level of intraocular pressure (IOP) can reduce or even stop the progression of glaucoma. It is essential to limit conversion from ocular hypertension (OHT) to glaucoma. The IOP value that protects the visual field and the optic nerve is called target IOP. This study analyzes how French ophthalmologists determine the target IOP level.


METHODS
The main objective of this prospective, multicenter national survey was to analyze the management of OHT or glaucoma patients and to evaluate the importance of target IOP in the therapeutic strategy.


RESULTS
A total of 972 ophthalmologists included 11.177 patients from May 2002 to March 2004. In 68.7% of cases, the practitioner determined the target IOP level using the following methods: a target of 15 mmHg or 17 mmHg or a reduction of the IOP level in percentage (EGS guidelines). This mean target IOP ranged from 14.3 to 17.3 mmHg.


CONCLUSIONS
The estimation of target IOP is used by the majority of French ophthalmologists.


CONCLUSIONS
This study shows that the determination of target IOP is becoming increasingly important in the therapeutic decision and follow-up in the routine practice of French ophthalmologists.
Laplace
O
O
CHNO des XV-XX, Paris, France. laplace@quinze-vingts.fr
Bron
A
A
Nordmann
J-P
JP
D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009798:Ocular Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D009885:Ophthalmology; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011446:Prospective Studies