Enhancement Of Surveillance


Increased frequency of visits helps the clinician not only to monitor more closely possible disease progression but also to detect potential medication side effects or allergies that may affect treatment. If patients suspect that a medication is making their eyes irritated or uncomfortable, they will often stop taking the medication without consulting their physician. This will make it difficult to determine which drug is the true culprit. Patients should be encouraged to call the office in the event of adverse drug effects or schedule an earlier follow-up visit to avoid these situations. In the case of the noncompliant patient who is reluctant to undergo surgical procedures, visits as frequently as every 1 to 3 months may be helpful. Such enhanced surveillance will ensure that the patient gets adequate prescription refills and will document the history of noncompliance and uncontrolled disease. This information coupled with the inconvenience of office visits can convince a previously unwilling patient to have a necessary surgical intervention, especially if it means taking fewer eye drops and seeing the doctor less often.

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