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Abstract #5921 Published in IGR 2-1
Glaucoma guidelines: a way to improve care?
No authors listedDrugs and Therapy Perspectives 2000; 15/1: 8-10
This article from an optometrical source discusses the two available guidelines in the United States: one by the American Academy of Ophthalmology and one by the American Optometric Association. It is concluded that the two sets of guidelines differ in their diagnostic criteria for glaucoma and depending on which guidelines are followed the number of patients diagnosed with glaucoma can very as much as 8-fold. The authors also compare the follow-up care of patients with open angle glaucoma. There again are major differences that are illustrated in a table. Unfortunately there are no published scientific studies that link the frequency of follow-up examination with better or worse outcome. Both the guidelines for open angle glaucoma and the angle closure glaucoma are discussed. Finally they cite two papers in which the confirmance with the AAO guidelines seems to be rather good. The good point made by this paper is that we do not have much prove as to what is the best follow-up care in the individual patient.