2M.D. Professor, Ege University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology, İzmir/TURKEY
3M.D., İzmir Training and Research Hospital, Eye Clinic, İzmir/TURKEY Purpose: To create a computerized tracking software specific to glaucoma for the purpose of optaining instant statistical data, performing a standardized ophthalmic examination and establishing a follow-up protocol in glaucoma centers.
Materials and Methods: The software with multi-user support connected to the central database was prepared to be specific for glaucoma patients. The Delphi program was used as the desktop application. Firebird was preferred as the database. The medical data of 7500 glaucoma patients were uploaded to the glaucoma follow up program.
Results: Data-base analysis of registered patients data consisting of the diagnosis, visual acuity, intraocular pressure, visual fields, optic nerve and nerve fiber layer analysis, gonioscopy, central corneal thickness, drugs, surgery, and concomitant systemic disease were easily obtained. The important benefits of the glaucoma follow-up program were easy and safe digital archiving, detection of diagnosis and treatment group datasets, observing the efficiency of the applied treatment algorithms, observing and checking the practice pattern of the residents, easy data collection for research, and the preparation of referral information in chronological order.
Conclusion: We believe that glaucoma specific-computerized patient follow-up programs are useful in glaucoma centers for standardized diagnosis, follow-up and treatment protocols, and instant statistical database access.
Keywords : Glaucoma, glaucoma follow-up program, database