A Cochrane review [Abstract] 1 included 8 studies with a total of 690 subjects. Different interventions were included; simplifying drop routines (5 studies), reminder devices (1 study), providing information about glaucoma and offering advice regarding day-to-day issues with eye care (2 studies). 5 of the 8 studies showed that interventions helped people take their eye drops reliably. 3 of 5 drug comparison studies provided evidence that reducing the frequency of drops can improve adherence. However, the study that compared the least frequent regime with one of the most complicated, showed no difference in reported adherence. A small study of 13 patients found a reminder device beneficial to adherence levels. Only 1 of the 2 education and individualised care planning interventions demonstrated improved adherence.
Comment: The quality of evidence is downgraded by inconsistency (variability in results across studies and heterogeneity in interventions and outcomes), by indirectness (short term follow-up), and by imprecise results (limited study size for each comparison).
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