title: Survey of complementary and alternative medicine use in glaucoma patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence, types, and associated factors of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use in glaucoma patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, multicenter, cross-sectional survey. A total of 1516 consecutive patients attending 2 tertiary glaucoma clinics were surveyed on CAM use. Information gathered on standardized data collection sheets included demographic variables, ophthalmic history, glaucoma treatment history, and details of CAM use.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The response rate was 92.5%. A total of 166 patients (10.9%) reported current use of CAM therapy specifically for glaucoma whereas 41 patients (2.7%) reported past use of CAM. Of the patients who reported CAM use, 62.5% had not disclosed the use of CAM to their ophthalmologist and 40.5% believed that the treatments were helping their glaucoma. The most commonly used types of CAM were herbal medications (34.5%), dietary modifications (22.7%), and vitamin/mineral supplements (18.8%). Of the 207 patients who reported current or past CAM use for their glaucoma, 3 (1.4%) indicated that they used conventional glaucoma treatments < prescribed because of their CAM use.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Approximately 1 in 9 glaucoma patients use CAM for their disease. Many of these patients do not disclose the use of CAM to their ophthalmologist, but the vast majority report that they still take conventional glaucoma medications as prescribed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Wan
authors.forename: Shannon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Daniel
authors.forename: Faazil
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kassam
authors.forename: Gaganpal
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mutti
authors.forename: Ziad
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Butty
authors.forename: Oscar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kasner
authors.forename: Graham E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Trope
authors.forename: Yvonne M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Buys
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000529:Complementary Therapies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000628:therapy*; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D056687:Off-Label Use; D008517:Phytotherapy; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014815:Vitamins / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D028321:Plant Preparations; D014131:Trace Elements; D014815:Vitamins