Barriers to adherence to glaucoma medications among adult glaucoma patients in a Nigerian tertiary hospital

A bstract Background: Glaucoma is a leading cause of global blindness, particularly prevalent in Africa where healthcare accessibility is challenging. Adherence to glaucoma medications is crucial for disease management and vision preservation. Objective: The objective of the study was to identify barriers to medication adherence among adult glaucoma patients in a Nigerian Tertiary Hospital. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 160 adult glaucoma patients receiving care at the Enugu State University Teaching Hospital Enugu, Nigeria. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used collect the relevant sociodemographic data and barriers to medication adherence. Data analysis was both descriptive statistics and inferential using the Statistical Packages for the Social Sciences (SPSS Inc. Chicago, IL, USA) version 26 for windows at 95% confidence level. Results: The mean age of the participants was 53.1 ± 14.0 years. The majority (89.5%) used two (35%) or three (44.5%) medications. The three major barriers identified included medication cost (95%), drug unavailability (96.2%), and side effects (96.9%). Other observed barriers included forgetfulness (42.5%), multiple medications (21.9%), busy schedules (16.3%), administration challenges (4.5%), and religious beliefs (1.9%). The educational level of the participants correlated significantly with side effects barrier to medications ( P = 0.016). Conclusion: Cost of medication, unavailability, and side effects were the main barriers to glaucoma medication adherence in the study population. Efforts to enhance glaucoma medication adherence should prioritize reducing drug costs, improving availability, and addressing side effects. Interventions targeting forgetfulness, complex regimens, and patient education may further support adherence.