| Spending on glaucoma medication has increased significantly in recent years, study reveals |
| Wednesday, 15 June 2011 15:28 |
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Glaucoma, a disease which is characterized by damage to the optic nerve, is one of the leading causes of blindness in the U.S. Millions of people over the age of 40 are affected by this disorder, which costs an estimated $2.9 billion in healthcare expenses each year. According to a paper published in the journal Archives of Ophthalmology, spending on medications for glaucoma has increased steadily in recent years. This finding was particularly notable in female patients, those with public health insurance and people who have less than a high school education.Researchers from the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami, Florida, evaluated data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey conducted between 2001 and 2006. The team analyzed information from 1,404 patients who had participated, many of whom had taken part in the Medicare Part D prescription drug program. The findings revealed that in 2001, the average expenditure for glaucoma medication was about $445. Five years later, this figure rose to $557. "There is a direct correlation between increased expenditure and increased severity of glaucoma, with medication consisting of one-third to one-half of direct costs," the authors concluded. |
