Glaucoma coaching program shows promise in enhancing medication adherence, especially for lower-income groups

A personalized glaucoma coaching program can improve self-management, particularly for lower-income individuals and those with lower medication adherence, according to a poster presented at AGS 2025. Key factors like accessibility to a coach, multimedia education, and accountability help address barriers such as cost, denial of disease severity, and past negative experiences with eye care providers.

Researchers analyzed semi-structured interviews with participants from different income levels involved in a personalized glaucoma coaching program to identify key themes and compare experiences based on income and adherence rates.

Participants valued rapport with their coach, accessibility, accountability, and goal-setting support. Lower-income individuals (≤$60,000) were more likely to cite barriers such as denial of glaucoma’s impact (83%), cost and transportation issues (71%), and past negative experiences with eye care providers (64%). This group also found visual learning tools (73%) and printed action plans (62%) particularly helpful.

Similarly, participants with lower medication adherence (≤80%) frequently cited cost concerns (73%) and denial of glaucoma’s severity (94%) but reported improvements in confidence (66%), knowledge (73%), and disease management (80%) after participating in the program. Coaching accountability (77%) was a significant factor in their engagement.

Reference
Awan R, et al. Patient Experience in the Support, Educate, and Empower (SEE) Personalized Glaucoma Coaching Program: Perspectives from Participants with Low Income and Low Adherence. Poster presented at: American Glaucoma Society Annual Meeting; February 26–March 2, 2025; Washington, DC.