title: Prevalent practice patterns in glaucoma: Poll of Indian ophthalmologists at a national conference.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to explore and compare the prevailing practice patterns in the diagnosis and management of glaucoma among subspecialists and general ophthalmologists in India.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is an interactive audience response system (ARS) based poll of ophthalmologists attending the annual conference of the Glaucoma Society of India in 2013.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The information was obtained from 379 ophthalmologists (146 glaucoma specialists, 54 nonglaucoma subspecialists, and 179 general ophthalmologists). The majority of polled ophthalmologists (236; 62%) had 10 or more years of experience in ophthalmology. The glaucoma specialists differed from nonglaucomatologists in their preference for Goldmann applanation tonometer (P < 0.01), four-mirror gonioscope (P < 0.01), Humphrey perimeter (P < 0.01), laser peripheral iridotomy in primary angle closure disease (P = 0.03), postiridotomy gonioscopy (P < 0.01), and usage of antifibrotic agents during filtering surgery (P < 0.01). Optical coherence tomography was the most preferred imaging modality and was utilized more often by the subspecialists than general ophthalmologists. The ophthalmologists also differed in their choice of antiglaucoma medications. More glaucoma specialists were performing surgery on children with congenital glaucoma (P < 0.01), implanting glaucoma drainage devices (P < 0.01), and using scientific journals to upgrade knowledge (P = 0.03) than the other ophthalmologists.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This poll is the first of its kind in India, in its usage of the ARS, and in comparing the practice patterns of care for glaucoma among subspecialists and general ophthalmologists. It has revealed substantial diversity in a few areas among those who did and did not receive specialty training in glaucoma.
authors.affiliation: VST Glaucoma Centre, Dr. Kallam Anji Reddy Campus, L. V. Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, Telangana, India.
authors.forename: Nikhil Shreeram
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Choudhari
authors.affiliation: VST Glaucoma Centre, Dr. Kallam Anji Reddy Campus, L. V. Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, Telangana, India.
authors.forename: Vanita
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pathak-Ray
authors.affiliation: Advanced Eye Center, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Sushmita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kaushik
authors.affiliation: Centre for Sight, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Prateep
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vyas
authors.affiliation: Department of Glaucoma, Jadhavbhai Nathamal Singhvi, Medical Research Foundation, Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Ronnie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: George
mesh_terms: D003941:Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmological; D005260:Female; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D008297:Male; D000072163:Ophthalmologists / Q000592:standards*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000639:trends*; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies