Abstract
Purpose:
Prior studies show that up to 90% of patients do not use their eye drop medications correctly, though 97% report correct usage. The purpose of the study was to assess at-home patient compliance with prescribed eye drops in post-cataract surgery patients using a novel eye drop application monitor (EDAM). We hypothesize that there is a significant difference between a subject’s perceived compliance and their actual compliance.
Methods:
Forty participants were instructed on use of the EDAM. The EDAM device was used for one week with post-operative eye drop applications following cataract surgery. Patients recorded a compliance log of how many drops were dispensed, how many landed in the eye, outside the eye, or half in and half out. The EDAM was returned for video analysis to objectively determine the patient’s eye drop use and delivery. Variation between subjects’ perceived and actual drops dispensed and perceived and actual drops in was assessed in addition to comparing the results to the prescribed regimen.
Results:
The subject’s perceived drops dispensed were significantly different than the actual drops dispensed, varying from the prescribed regimen on average by 37% (p=9.6*10-5) with a range of 0%-282%. There was a 40% difference from the prescribed regimen between the actual number of drops dispensed and the prescribed regimen (P=2.44*10-5), with a range of 0-282%. The subject’s perceived drops in were significantly different than the actual drops in, varying on average from the prescribed regimen by 24% (p=1.31*10-6) with a range of 0%-129%. There was a 35% difference from the prescribed regimen between the actual number of drops the patients got in and the prescribed regimen (P=1.47*10-10), with a range of 0-93%.
Conclusions:
This study is the first to directly measure at-home eye drop compliance following cataract surgery. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that patient reports of eye drop regimen compliance are significantly different from their actual compliance. The actual number of eye drops delivered to the patient’s eye was also found to be significantly different than the prescribed regimen.