Fixed combinations and adherence

Abstract Purpose: To summarise information on adherence of glaucoma patients using fixed combinations of IOP lowering medications. Methods: Literary search. Results: Clinical experience as well as published studies clearly show that like compliance, adherence to prescribed medication is far not optimal in glaucoma patients. When using prostaglandin analogue eye drops QD adherence is better to the prescribed medication than in treatment periods on BID medication or in patients treated with BID topical medication. Combined prostaglandin/beta‐receptor blocker medication is similar to prostaglandin analogue monotherapy in terms of number of application per day, and can substitute unfixed combinations consisting of a prostaglandin analogue plus a beta‐blocker. Thus, improved adherence to the combined medication given once daily is supposed to be similarly good as it is with prostaglandin analogues. However, little published data is available on this field. Conclusions: Combined prostaglandin analogue/beta‐receptor blocker medication has a promise of good adherence because of the ease of administration and powerful IOP lowering, but for exact figures further adherence studies are necessary.