A novel EyePhone© App for improving adherence to glaucoma therapy

Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology (2021)Cite this article

Abstract

Purpose

Despite advances in glaucoma treatment options, patient adherence and compliance remain very low. The EyePhone© App is a free non-commercial reminder application designed specifically for the needs of glaucoma patients. In this study, we evaluated its usefulness in improving adherence to medical treatment among glaucoma patients.

Methods

This is a prospective multicenter interventional study. Glaucoma patients were recruited from a tertiary center and a large community glaucoma service center. After a short explanation, the EyePhone© App was installed on their smartphone device, and the notifications for the current medical treatment were entered. After enrollment and at 1-month follow-up, subjects completed the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8) and the Quality of Life and Glaucoma 17-item (GlauQOL-17) questionnaires for evaluation of adherence and QOL, respectively.

Results

In the study, 133 patients (71 men and 62 women) aged 62±15.5 years and using 2.0±0.9 IOP-lowering drugs participated. The proportion of highly adherent subjects improved from 29.3% (39/133) at baseline to 42.1% (56/133) at follow-up (P < 0.001), and the proportion of poorly adherent subjects decreased from 29.3 (39/133) to 20.3% (27/133) at follow-up (P = 0.012). QOL also improved, as evidenced by a significant increase in the GlauQOL-17 score (P < 0.05). In a subgroup of patients for whom IOP measurements were available, IOP reduced by 0.92 mmHg (P = 0.069).

Conclusions

Significant improvements in glaucoma adherence and QOL were achieved among poorly adherent glaucoma patients after 1 month of using the EyePhone© App.

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Data availability

Upon request.

Code availability

The EyePhone® App is available for download without charge from the Google Play app store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.glaoucmaskaatleshno.drugreminder2

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Author information

Affiliations

  1. The Sam Rothberg Glaucoma Center, Goldschleger Eye Institute, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Ramat Gan, Israel

    Ari Leshno, Reut Singer, Ofri Vorobichik-Berar, Shiran Madgar, Ori Stern, Wasim Jaber, Noa Kapelushnik & Alon Skaat

  2. Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

    Ari Leshno, Dan Gaton, Reut Singer, Elior Eliasi, Ori Stern, Wasim Jaber, Noa Kapelushnik & Alon Skaat

  3. Department of Ophthalmology, Rabin Medical Center, Petah Tikva, Israel

    Dan Gaton

  4. Glaucoma Institute, “Clalit” Healthcare Services, Century Tower, Tel Aviv, Israel

    Dan Gaton

Authors
  1. Ari Leshno
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  2. Dan Gaton
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  3. Reut Singer
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  4. Elior Eliasi
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  7. Ori Stern
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  10. Alon Skaat
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ari Leshno.

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Ethics approval

The study was approved by both the Sheba Medical Center and the “Clalit” healthcare services institutional review boards.

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All participants signed an informed consent form

Conflict of interest

Two of the authors (AL and AS) developed the EyePhone® App. The other authors declare no competing interests.

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Leshno, A., Gaton, D., Singer, R. et al. A novel EyePhone© App for improving adherence to glaucoma therapy. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-021-05091-6

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Keywords

  • Glaucoma
  • Adherence
  • Quality of life
  • Smartphone
  • Application