Use of generics key to glaucoma medicine adherence, study says

A potential solution to resolve patient non-adherence in glaucoma treatment is switching to generic drugs, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

The study examines the impact of a reduction in glaucoma medication co-pay on patient adherence, in the context of more than half of glaucoma patients not taking their medications as prescribed, despite the fact effective treatments are available.

Prostaglandin analogues are the standard treatment for open-angle glaucoma (the most common form of the disease in the USA), lowering intraocular pressure. While they are highly effective, the branded versions are often more costly than other kinds of glaucoma drugs, and researchers have suspected that the cost may contribute to why so many patients do not take the medication as prescribed.