title: The Wills Eye Glaucoma App: Interest of Patients and Their Caregivers in a Smartphone-based and Tablet-based Glaucoma Application.
abstract: To evaluate the interest of glaucoma patients and their caregivers in a smartphone-based and tablet-based glaucoma application (App), developed by the Wills Eye Glaucoma Research Center in collaboration with Drexel University.
  
  
  
  Cross-sectional survey of patients with glaucoma and their caregivers. Main outcome measures are answers to survey questions regarding how receptive participants are to using the Glaucoma App.
  
  
  
  Fifty subjects completed the survey. The mean age (SD) was 59.5 (±17.3) years. A total of 88.6% of the participants lived in a household with access to a smartphone or tablet. The majority (72.3%) of participants would consider downloading the Glaucoma App, and younger participants (<65 y) were more likely to do so compared with their older (≥65 y) counterparts, P=0.025. Participants were more likely to download the App if it was free of charge, compared with a version that costs $3, P=0.018. Although only about one third (37.8%) of participants used eye drop reminders, nearly 3 of 4 (72.9%) participants were receptive to using the automated reminder feature of the Glaucoma App.
  
  
  
  Glaucoma patients and their caregivers were very interested in using a Glaucoma App; however, many were not willing to spend $3 for an App they seem to value. The free Wills Eye Glaucoma App currently available on the Apple store, includes educational videos, eye drop and appointment reminders, medical and ocular data storage, visual field tutorial, and intraocular pressure tracker. These features aim to increase patients' level of knowledge about glaucoma and improve their adherence to medication and follow-up appointment recommendations.
authors.affiliation: *Glaucoma Research Center, Wills Eye Hospital †Drexel University's iSchool and College of Engineering, Philadelphia, PA.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Waisbourd
authors.forename: Hermandeep
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dhami
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.forename: Pramod
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Abichandani
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Pro
authors.forename: Marlene R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Moster
authors.forename: L Jay
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Katz
authors.forename: Lisa A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Hark
authors.forename: Jonathan S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Myers
mesh_terms: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D017028:Caregivers; D034201:Computers, Handheld; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence; D008875:Middle Aged; D063731:Mobile Applications / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014065:Tonometry, Ocular; D014794:Visual Fields
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents