Comparative analysis of detection and management protocols for patients with open-angle glaucoma in relation to World Health Organization recommendations for blindness prevention

Authors

  • O. P. Vitovska Bohomolets National Medical University, Kyiv, Ukraine Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32402/dovkil2026.01.017

Keywords:

glaucoma, prevention, World Health Organization

Abstract

The Aim. Comparative Analysis of current protocols and standards for glaucoma treatment in Ukraine and the World Health Organization’s Package of Eye Care Interventions for early diagnosis and complication prevention. Materials and methods. Comparison of the Glaucoma Medical Care Standard, the Evidence-based Clinical Guideline for Glaucoma, and the Order of the Ministry of Health No. 959 of 05/26/2023 and the World Health Organization's Package of Eye Care Interventions of 2022. Literature search. Results. Interventions for the screening, diagnosing and treatment of glaucoma indicated in the Evidence-Based Clinical Guideline for Glaucoma correspond to the list of examinations of the Package of Eye Care Interventions. However, unlike the recommendations of the World Health Organization, the Clinical Guideline does not indicate at which levels of medical care the appropriate measurements should be provided. Regarding the rehabilitation of patients with glaucoma, the recommendations of the World Health Organization indicate groups of rehabilitation interventions necessary to improve the quality of life of patients with irreversible significant decrease in visual acuity. The current standards for the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma in Ukraine do not contain clearly structured rehabilitation and preventive interventions for such groups of patients. Conclusions. In terms of the diagnosing and treatment of primary open-angle glaucoma, the Standards of Medical Care for Glaucoma, the Evidence-Based Clinical Guideline for Glaucoma and the Order of the Ministry of Health No. 959 dated May 26, 2023 generally comply with the Package of Eye Care Interventions (PECI) of the World Health Organization. However, the Ukrainian standards lack algorithms and interventions for the rehabilitation of patients with visual impairment due to advanced stages of glaucoma, which is an important link in the treatment of this disease.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

1. Kastner A, King AJ. Advanced glaucoma at diagnosis: current perspectives. Eye (London, England). 2020;34(1):116–28. doi: 10.1038/s41433-019-0637-2

2. Tham YC, Li X, Wong TY, Quigley HA, Aung T, Cheng CY. Global prevalence of glaucoma and projections of glaucoma burden through 2040: a systematic review and metaanalysis. Ophthalmol. 2014;121(11):2081–90. doi: 10.1016/j.ophtha.2014.05.013

3. Metodyka rozrobky ta vprovadzhennya medychnykh standartiv medychnoyi dopomohy na zasadakh dokazovoyi medytsyny № 751 (nazva Metodyky iz zminamy, vnesenymy zhidno z nakazom Ministerstva okhorony zdorov’ya Ukrayiny vid 29.12.2016 r. Nо. 1422) [Methodology for the development and implementation of medical standards of medical care based on evidence-based medicine No. 751 dated 12/29/2016.]. (Ukrainian).

4. Michels TC, Ivan O. Glaucoma: Diagnosis and Management. Am Fam Physician. 2023;107(3):253–62. Available from: https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2023/0300/glaucoma.html

5. Aspberg J, Heijl A, Bengtsson B. (2021). Screening for Open-Angle Glaucoma and Its Effect on Blindness. Am J Ophthalmol. 2021;228:106–16. doi: 10.1016/j.ajo.2021.03.030

6. Song YJ, Kim YW, Park KH, Kim YK, Choi HJ, Jeoung JW. Comparison of glaucoma patients referred by glaucoma screening versus referral from primary eye clinic. PloS one. 2019;14(1):e0210582. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0210582

7. Gunzenhauser R, Coleman AL. Glaucoma Screening Guidelines Worldwide. J Glaucoma. 2024;33(Suppl 1): S9–S12. doi: 10.1097/IJG.0000000000002362

8. Olawoye O, Azuara­Blanco A, Chan V F, Piyasena P, Crealey G E, O’Neill C, et al. A Review to Populate A Proposed Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Glaucoma Screening in Sub-Saharan Africa. Ophthalmic epidemiol. 2022;29(3):328–38. doi: 10.1080/09286586.2021.1939887

9. Jan C, He M, Vingrys A, Zhu Z, Stafford RS. Diagnosing glaucoma in primary eye care and the role of Artificial Intelligence applications for reducing the prevalence of undetected glaucoma in Australia. Eye (London, England). 2024;38(11):2003–13. doi: 10.1038/s41433-024-03026-z

10. Package of eye care interventions. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2022 Available from: https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/354256

11. Standart medychnoiy dopomohy Hlaucoma, Klinichna Nastanova, zasnovana na Dokazakh Hlaucoma vid 26/05/2023 [Standard of Medical Care for Glaucoma, Evidence-Based Clinical Guideline for Glaucoma dated 05/26/2023] Ukraine: the Ministry of Health (Ukranian).

12. Wagner IV, Stewart MW, Dorairaj SK. Updates on the Diagnosis and Management of Glaucoma. Mayo Clin Proc Innov Qual Outcomes. 2022;6(6):618–35. doi: 10.1016/j.mayocpiqo.2022.09.007

13. Sheybani A, Scott R, Samuelson TW, Kahook MY, Bettis DI, Ahmed IIK, et al. Open-Angle Glaucoma: Burden of Illness, Current Therapies, and the Manage ment of Nocturnal IOP Variation. Ophthalmol therapy. 2020;9(1):1–14. doi: 10.1007/s40123-019-00222-z

14. Philippin H. Management of chronic openangle glaucoma. Community Eye Health. 2021:34(112):43–6. doi: 10.56920/cehj.178

15. Miller-­Ellis E, Fleming GP. Then and Now: Medical Therapy for Glaucoma. Ophthalmol Glaucoma . 2025;8(5S):S33–S37. doi: 10.1016/j.ogla.2025.08.002

16. Glaucoma: diagnosis and management. NICE guideline. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Nov 2017; Last updated: 26 Jan 2022. Available from: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng81

17. King AJ, Hudson J, Fernie G, Kernohan A, Azuara­-Blanco A, Burr J, et al. & TAGS Study Group. Primary trabeculectomy for advanced glaucoma: pragmatic multicentre randomised controlled trial (TAGS). BMJ (Clinical research ed.). 2021;373:n1014. doi: 10.1136/bmj.n1014

18. Joshi P, Dangwal A, Guleria I, Kothari S, Singh P, Kalra JM, et al. Glaucoma in Adults-diagnosis, Management, and Prediagnosis to End-stage, Categorizing Glaucoma’s Stages: A Review. J Curr Glaucoma Pract. 2022:16(3): 170–8. doi: 10.5005/jp-journals-10078-1388

19. Jóhannesson G, Stille U, Taube AB, Karlsson M, Kalaboukhova L, Bergström A, et al. Guidelines for the management of open-angle glaucoma: National Program Area Eye Diseases, National Working Group Glaucoma. Acta ophthalmol. 2024;102(2):135–50. doi: 10.1111/aos.16599

20. Deemer AD, Goldstein JE, Ramulu PY. Approaching rehabilitation in patients with advanced glaucoma. Eye (London, England). 2023;37(10):1993–2006. doi: 10.1038/s41433-022-02303-z

21. Jones L, Lee M, Castle CL, Heinze N, Gomes RSM. Scoping review of remote rehabilitation (telerehabilitation) services to support people with vision impairment. BMJ open. 2022;12(8):e059985. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-059985

22. Aspberg J, Heijl A, Bengtsson B. Screening for Open-Angle Glaucoma and Its Effect on Blindness. Am J Ophthalmol. 2021;228:106–16. doi: 10.1016/j.ajo.2021.03.030

23. Gawas L, Roy AK, Rao A. Glaucoma screening skills among general ophthalmologists — How general should it be? Indian J Ophthalmol. 2022;70(10):3534–39. doi: 10.4103/ijo.IJO_672_22

24. Gessesse GW, Damji KF. Advanced glaucoma: management pearls. Middle East Afr Journal Ophthalmol. 2013;20(2):131–41. doi: 10.4103/0974-9233.110610

Published

2026-04-10

Issue

Section

TOPICAL ISSUES OF PUBLIC HEALTH

How to Cite

Comparative analysis of detection and management protocols for patients with open-angle glaucoma in relation to World Health Organization recommendations for blindness prevention. (2026). Environment & Health, 118(1), 17-22. https://doi.org/10.32402/dovkil2026.01.017