The importance of cooperation between physician and patient for the effectiveness of surgical care organization in patients with glaucoma

Abstract

Purpose: to investigate the effectiveness of interaction between ophthalmologists and glaucoma patients in promoting patient adherence to necessary surgical care at early stages of the disease. Materials and methods. Medical records of 500 patients with stage 3–4 glaucoma and survey data from 1,200 ophthalmologists and 1,500 patients were analyzed using social-hygienic, medical-statistical, and sociological methods to identify reasons for late surgical referrals. Results. The reasons for patients seeking surgical treatment at advanced stages of glaucoma were identified: in 42.6 ± 2.2% of cases, the disease was diagnosed too late; in 37.3 ± 2.2% of patients, ophthalmologists had not provided recommendations regarding surgical intervention; and in 20.1 ± 1.8% of cases, patients expressed distrust toward surgical treatment. The vast majority of surveyed physicians (96.7 ± 0.5%) are well-versed in current guidelines governing glaucoma management and apply them in clinical practice. However, only 44.5 ± 1.4% are able to accurately determine the necessity of surgical treatment for a patient, and only 29.7 ± 1.3% can select the appropriate type of surgical procedure. For 89.2 ± 0.9% of patients, the decisive factor in choosing a treatment method is the professional qualification of the physician. Furthermore, 85.2 ± 1.2% of patients are more willing to undergo surgery in the fellow eye due to a positive prior experience. Conclusions. Patient adherence to surgical treatment depends on effective communication by the ophthalmologist. Enhancing physician knowledge and patient awareness of surgical safety and efficacy can improve trust in surgical management and reduce the risk of vision loss.