There is no “one size fits all” for glaucoma treatment, and the same applies to patient education

In an age of extraordinary technological breakthroughs in glaucoma testing and therapy, it is easy to forget that communication remains vitally important. You can prescribe the most effective IOP lowering drops, but if your patient doesn’t know how to use them it’s all rendered meaningless.

There is no “one size fits all” for therapeutics, and the same applies to patient education. Reminders (written or oral) must be tailored to a specific audience. For some patients, an AVS (after visit summaries) may be helpful, but the delivery method can also be important: printed, SMS, email, phone or apps.

While the effectiveness of AVS remains unclear in this study, telehealth could play a role for patients who prefer oral reminders. There is zero compromise on the quality of care (as there would be for a procedure that would require instrumentation) and it can be extremely convenient for the elderly or those with special needs. Better yet, trained staff can be employed to respond to common questions.

For those who would dismiss such consults as less important than other aspects of glaucoma care, I argue that an ounce of prevention (or patient education) is worth a pound of medical and surgical intervention later.

https://www.healio.com/news/optometry/20200529/aftervisit-summaries-for-glaucoma-medication-vary-in-efficacy