title: The relationship between glaucoma medication adherence, eye drop technique, and visual field defect severity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of the study was to examine (1) how patient adherence and eye drop technique were associated with visual field defect severity and (2) how general glaucoma adherence self-efficacy and eye drop technique self-efficacy were related to visual field defect severity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study conducted at a single private practice site.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients using eye drops for their glaucoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subject adherence to glaucoma medications through Medication Events Monitoring System (MEMS) devices were measured, and eye drop instillation technique was assessed by video recording. General glaucoma medication adherence self-efficacy was measured using a 10-item scale, and eye drop technique self-efficacy was measured using a 6-item scale. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the data.
  
  
  METHODS
  Visual field defect severity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients who were less than 80% adherent according to the MEMS devices were significantly more likely to have worse defect severity. Patients with lower scores on the general glaucoma medication adherence self-efficacy scale also were significantly more likely to have worse defect severity. Eye drop technique and eye drop technique self-efficacy were not related significantly to visual field defect severity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Eye care providers need to assess patient adherence and to work with those patients with poor adherence to find ways to improve their ability and self-efficacy in using their glaucoma medications.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found after the references.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-7590, USA. betsy_sleath@unc.edu
authors.forename: Betsy
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sleath
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Blalock
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Covert
authors.forename: Jennifer L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Stone
authors.forename: Asheley Cockrell
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Skinner
authors.forename: Kelly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Muir
authors.forename: Alan L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Robin
mesh_terms: D060433:Administration, Ophthalmic; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000208:ethnology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence; D008875:Middle Aged; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012646:Self Administration; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014741:Video Recording; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; D058609:Visual Field Tests; D014794:Visual Fields / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions