Glaucoma is a common chronic eye condition and the second commonest cause of blindness in the UK. Glaucoma impairs mainly the peripheral vision (visual field). Patients need these check-ups for the rest of their lives. Hospital eye services are very busy, accounting for 10% of all NHS outpatient visits with over 1 million visits per year are for glaucoma patients.
Recent advances in technology mean it is now possible for glaucoma patients to monitor their disease at home. Home monitoring could mean patients requiring fewer hospital check-ups, whilst increasing convenience, potentially reducing costs and increase capacity for the NHS. However, we do not know if home monitoring is acceptable to people with glaucoma, or if home monitoring in the general glaucoma population is feasible within the NHS. I-TRAC will help answer this question through a mixed-methods feasibility project investigating the practicalities of home monitoring and the perspectives of glaucoma patients, Ophthalmologists, other NHS staff, and research teams running eye monitoring trials. The project is funded by the NIHR HTA Programme and is led by Dr Katie Gillies.
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