Glaucoma persists as the second-leading cause of blindness worldwide.1 It is estimated that currently 80 million people, globally, have glaucoma, with over 3 million of those residing in the United States.2
The seriousness and prevalence of this disease demand that it be at the forefront of optometrists’ minds—and practices. Therefore, ODs are adopting new techniques and testing for diagnosis, increasing their knowledge of successful management, and expanding treatment options to improve patient outcomes.
This report reflects the opinions of nearly 400 optometrists across diverse professional backgrounds and practice settings. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach—combining quantitative and qualitative data through structured and open-ended questions—the 2024 Glaucoma Report explores prevalence, preparedness, preferences in disease diagnostics and management, confidence in treatment, feelings surrounding co-management, and more.
Read on—and download the report—to garner insight into the challenges eyecare professionals are facing with glaucoma and the innovative ways they are choosing to overcome them.
Download the 2024 Glaucoma Report now, or keep reading for a sneak peek at our findings!
📚
Get the free Glaucoma Report
Uncover the challenges encountered by eyecare practitioners in diagnosing, treating, and managing glaucoma, as well as the obstacles posed by patient adherence, practice protocols, and more!
The 2024 Glaucoma Report covers questions regarding:
- Glaucoma prevalence and priority
- How many patients have been diagnosed with glaucoma?
- How important is glaucoma to an optometric practice?
- Are optometrists considering expanding glaucoma practice?
- Overall confidence in treating and managing glaucoma
- How do optometrists rate their glaucoma education and knowledge?
- How comfortable are ODs with diagnosing glaucoma?
- How comfortable are ODs with treating and managing the disease?
- Preferred glaucoma treatments
- What are the top first-line and second-line treatments for glaucoma?
- How comfortable are ODs with the myriad treatments available?
- Are optometrists knowledgeable about implantable sustained-release delivery systems and minimally invasive glaucoma surgeries (MIGS)?
- Referrals and co-management for glaucoma
- How confident are optometrists in the co-management process for glaucoma?
- How many patients are OD referring to other specialists, and why?
- At what point do optometrists determine it is appropriate to refer patients?
- And more!
The answers range from expected to surprising and offer a wealth of information on patient care trends, emerging diagnostic and treatment tools, and attitudes on glaucoma management.
Download the 2024 Glaucoma Report now, or keep reading for a sneak peek at our findings!
ODs are eager for expansion in glaucoma services
Of our respondents, a whopping 97.7% reported treating glaucoma on some level. They also asserted that nearly 15% of their overall patients had been diagnosed with the disease.
Considering the rising need for care along with advancements in available diagnostic and treatment options, it is logical that the majority of optometrists are interested in expanding the glaucoma line of service in their practice.
For further illumination on this trend, download the report.
Higher utilization of diagnostic glaucoma tools linked to higher confidence
An emphasis on early detection has led optometrists to employ a variety of advanced diagnostics to more accurately assess the disease at its nascent stages.
The vast majority of those surveyed—97.74%—use more than one tool to diagnose glaucoma, with visual field testing and optic nerve head testing being the most common, followed by fundus photography. However, we did see a shift in diagnostic preferences, which you can find in the report.
To learn more about how optometrists view co-management, download the report.
Also of note, those interested in expanding glaucoma service tended to utilize more diagnostic tools in their existing practice, indicating a relationship between the two circumstances. In addition, those who used a higher number of diagnostic tools expressed a higher confidence in their ability to accurately diagnose.
Trust in the co-management process
The vast majority of optometrists not only feel confident in the co-management process for patients within their practice but also in their knowledge of where to refer patients for procedural intervention.
We also gauged optometrists’ confidence in having the patients they have referred to an MD for procedural intervention after being referred back to them for continued monitoring.
To learn more about how optometrists view co-management, download the report.
Though optometrists' top reason for referring patients to an ophthalmologist was that they believed the patient would benefit from a surgical procedure, many other factors played a role. Also, the precise point at which they chose to refer varied widely, which you can examine further in the report.
In conclusion
Based on our data, optometrists in 2024 are confident and eager to expand glaucoma services. By taking a more selective approach in their use of advanced diagnostics, eyecare professionals are honing in on efficiency and early detection.
Through adopting advanced treatments—such as implantable sustained-release drug delivery systems and MIGS—and collaborating with ophthalmologists, they are providing the latest in management protocols to combat noncompliance and slow disease progression, all with the end goal of improved outcomes across the population.
