Educational Intervention to Adopt SLT as First-Line Glaucoma Treatment
Condition: Primary Open-angle Glaucoma
MeSH terms: Glaucoma; Glaucoma, Open-Angle
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The purpose of this study is to develop an educational program that will help improve the
      patients' understanding of what laser treatment is, how it might be beneficial to them, and
      why it should be the first eye pressure lowering glaucoma treatment to consider before the
      use of glaucoma eye drops.
    

Detailed description: 
      Glaucoma is a disease characterized by optic nerve damage, visual field defects, elevated
      intraocular pressure (IOP) and progressive vision loss. More than 3 million Americans have
      glaucoma and more than 150,000 are blind as a result.

      Regular use of glaucoma medications can usually lower intraocular pressure (IOP), prevent
      disease progression, preserve vision and prevent blindness. However, many people with
      glaucoma do not always use their medication as directed, with about one-third to one-half of
      patients with glaucoma not taking their drops as often as necessary, or have difficulty
      putting in the drops. There are also numerous local side effects from using glaucoma eye
      drops including red eyes, blurry vision and dry eye symptoms. Systemic side effects from eye
      drops range from triggering asthma, to lethargy and depression.

      Selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) has been used safely and effectively for the treatment
      of elevated IOP in patients with open angle glaucoma for more than 20 years. SLT may result
      in mild and temporary IOP elevation, but this is a small risk and rarely significant. Other
      side effects include blurred vison and inflammation of the cornea (front, clear part of the
      eye), but they are extremely rare.

      The purpose of this study is to develop an educational program that will help improve the
      patients' understanding of what laser treatment is, how it might be beneficial to them, and
      why it should be considered as first glaucoma treatment before the use of glaucoma eye drops.
    

Intervention name(s): Patient Educational Intervention; Usual Care; Ophthalmologist Educational Intervention
Intervention type(s): Other; Other; Other
Intervention description(s): Patients will respond to 5 questions regarding selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) versus topical medication to lower eye pressure. Then they will receive educational materials including 20 printed slides and view a 3 minute video on safety and efficacy of SLT. If patients agree to SLT, assistance in scheduling will be provided.; Patients will respond to 5 questions regarding selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) versus topical medication to lower eye pressure. No other guidance will be provided.; Responses to online survey regarding beliefs and attitudes towards selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) before and after educational slide presentation were recorded and compared between physician specialty groups.
Other intervention name(s): Ophthalmologists
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Intervention model description: Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT) Educational Intervention group (n=20) or Usual Care group (n=20). Knowledge, beliefs, barriers, and attitudes about SLT vs. medication as first line treatment of glaucoma will be assessed in both groups.
To evaluate barriers for widespread adoption of this procedure, we assessed beliefs and attitudes of ophthalmologists regarding SLT. We developed an educational slide presentation targeted at physicians to increase consideration of SLT earlier in glaucoma treatment paradigm.
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Other
Keywords: educational intervention; SLT; selective laser trabeculoplasty; POAG; eye drops; Primary Open Angle Glaucoma