Risk factors for noncompliance with follow-up among normal-tension glaucoma suspects

PURPOSE: To evaluate noncompliance with follow-up in normal-tension glaucoma (NTG) suspects. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. METHODS: We reviewed 203 patient charts at a university eye clinic, identified as NTG suspects from a database of optic disk photographs. Noncompliance was defined as less than one year of follow-up and/or fewer than two completed visual field (VF) tests. RESULTS: Twenty-two patients (11%) were excluded be cause at least two VF tests were not ordered. The 181 patients analyzed included 45 (25%) non-Whites and 16 (9%) non-English speakers. Eighty-three patients (46%) were noncompliant. These patients were significantly younger (50.5 +/- 15.0 years vs 55.1 +/- 12.8 years; P =.028), were more likely to speak English (P =.023), and were more likely to have no or unknown health insurance (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Almost half of NTG suspects lacked appropriate follow-up. Lack of health insurance may be a significant barrier to compliance with follow-up in this population.