title: Current barriers to treatment for wet age-related macular degeneration (wAMD): findings from the wAMD patient and caregiver survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A cross-sectional survey to evaluate the current management of wet age-related macular degeneration (wAMD) and to identify barriers to treatment from a patient and caregiver perspective.
  
  
  METHODS
  An ophthalmologist-devised questionnaire was given to a global cohort of patients who were receiving (or had previously received) antivascular endothelial growth factor injections and to caregivers (paid and unpaid) to evaluate the impact of wAMD on their lives.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Responders included 910 patients and 890 caregivers; wAMD was diagnosed in both eyes in 45% of patients, and 64% had been receiving injections for > 1 year. Many caregivers were a child/grandchild (47%) or partner (23%) of the patient; only 7% were professional caregivers. Most (73%) patients visited a health care professional within 1 month of experiencing vision changes and 54% began treatment immediately. Most patients and caregivers reported a number of obstacles in managing wAMD, including the treatment itself (35% and 39%, respectively). Sixteen percent of patients also missed a clinic visit.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most patients seek medical assistance promptly for a change in vision; however, about a quarter of them do not. This highlights a lack of awareness surrounding eye health and the impact of a delayed diagnosis. Most patients and caregivers identified a number of obstacles in managing wAMD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Fondazione GB Bietti-IRCCs, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Varano
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Eter
authors.affiliation: Department of Policy and Campaigns, Royal National Institute of Blind People, London, UK.
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Winyard
authors.affiliation: Bayer Pharma AG, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Kim U
authors.initials: KU
authors.lastname: Wittrup-Jensen
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Microcirugía Ocular, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Navarro
authors.affiliation: Macular Disease Foundation Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Heraghty
keywords: antivascular endothelial growth factor agents; patient-reported outcomes; wAMD patient and caregiver survey; wet age-related macular degeneration