Jan Catherine L, Vingrys Algis, Stafford Randall S, Kang Mengtian, Shang Xianwen, Hu Wenyi, Liu Jiahao, Joseph Sanil, He Mingguang
Centre for Eye Research Australia, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry & Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Ophthalmic Physiol Opt. 2025 Jul;45(5):1228-1237. doi: 10.1111/opo.13514. Epub 2025 Apr 12.
To examine glaucoma practice patterns in Australia, focusing on visual field test uptake and antiglaucoma drug prescribing by optometrists and ophthalmologists.
A serial cross-sectional study was conducted to describe visual field testing charges and compare them to changes in comprehensive eye examination charges, as well as to analyse Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) items for antiglaucoma prescriptions.
The study utilised Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) reimbursements for visual field testing from January 2003 to December 2022, along with PBS prescriptions for antiglaucoma drugs by optometrists and ophthalmologists from January 2008 to December 2022.
From 2003 to 2022, rates of visual field testing per 100,000 population in Australia showed a consistent increase, except for a decline in 2020 due to COVID-19 lockdowns, particularly in Victoria. Optometry surpassed ophthalmology in conducting visual field tests in 2009. Prescription rates for antiglaucoma medications rose significantly from 2009 to 2022, following their inclusion in the optometric PBS, with prostaglandin analogues being the most prescribed. During the 2020 lockdowns, visual field testing decreased while antiglaucoma prescriptions remained stable.
The increase in visual field testing and antiglaucoma drug prescriptions underscores the expanding role of optometrists in glaucoma management in Australia. This rise has not impacted ophthalmology prescriptions, suggesting that the growing scope of optometric practice effectively reaches a broader patient population, especially amid the public health crisis of undiagnosed glaucoma.
研究澳大利亚青光眼的诊疗模式，重点关注验光师和眼科医生进行视野检查的情况以及抗青光眼药物的处方开具情况。
进行了一项系列横断面研究，以描述视野检查费用，并将其与综合眼科检查费用的变化进行比较，同时分析抗青光眼处方的药品福利计划（PBS）项目。
该研究利用了2003年1月至2022年12月医疗保险福利计划（MBS）对视野检查的报销数据，以及2008年1月至2022年12月验光师和眼科医生开具的抗青光眼药物的PBS处方数据。
2003年至2022年期间，澳大利亚每10万人口的视野检查率呈持续上升趋势，但2020年因新冠疫情封锁，尤其是在维多利亚州，出现了下降。2009年验光师进行的视野检查数量超过了眼科医生。2009年抗青光眼药物纳入验光师PBS项目后，其处方率从2009年至2022年显著上升，前列腺素类似物是处方量最多的药物。在2020年封锁期间，视野检查减少，而抗青光眼药物处方保持稳定。
视野检查和抗青光眼药物处方的增加凸显了验光师在澳大利亚青光眼管理中作用的扩大。这种增长并未影响眼科医生的处方量，这表明验光业务范围的扩大有效地覆盖了更广泛的患者群体，尤其是在未确诊青光眼的公共卫生危机背景下。
