Patients' views of referral and registration in advanced glaucoma

To determine the views of a group of mainly elderly people in Fife, Scotland, who were registered as blind with advanced glaucoma between 1990 and 1999, concerning the management of their glaucoma, referral to rehabilitation and social work services, and any benefits they received. A previous study had been published, examining the demographics of glaucoma blindness in Fife between 1990 and 1999. Of the 115 patients in the previous study, over one-third had a hearing impairment and one-quarter had signs of dementia. At the time of this study, only 40 patients of the original cohort were alive and able to complete a structured questionnaire. The questionnaire was first validated in a pilot study of patients with advanced glaucoma attending the glaucoma clinic. Most patients were very satisfied with the services received from the local agency providing rehabilitation and social services. However, a high proportion would have welcomed earlier referral, preferably before they met the criteria for registration as blind. More should be done to enable people with sight loss due to glaucoma to access rehabilitation and social services at an early stage in their disease.