U.K. Research Project Aims to Validate the OHTS-EGPS Glaucoma Risk Calculator

Article: Teaming up to monitor high eye pressure
Source: City, University of London (U.K.)
Published: June 28, 2021

A research team in the U.K. will begin a two-year project launched in June 2021 to improve upon ways to monitor ocular hypertension (elevated intraocular pressure) as a risk factor for developing glaucoma, which could lead to vision loss if not detected and treated early. Eye pressure is considered high if it is above 21 mmHg, although there is debate as to whether and how to treat individuals with eye pressures in the low and mid-20s. Benefit from treatment with pressure-lowering eye drops are weighed against adverse effects, cost, and inconvenience given a lifetime commitment to daily use of medications. An alternative first-line therapy is selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT), although this option is not effective on all patients. Thus, having a tool to assess risk of progression from ocular hypertension to glaucoma, which is defined by irreversible damage to the optic nerve (and other ocular structures), would support decision-making for both clinicians and patients. A glaucoma risk calculator called OHTS-EGPS is available that makes use of data from the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study and the European Glaucoma Prevention Study clinical trials. However, the U.K. researchers state that this risk calculator has not been tested on U.K. patients. Their project aims to validate the OHTS-EGPS for use within the U.K. health care system through review of anonymised NHS electronic medical records of over 23,000 people who have ocular hypertension. More specific goals of the project include investigating the value of treatment in people with ocular hypertension of 22 or 23 mmHg and validating the tool for different follow-up intervals of patients according to their glaucoma risk. Ultimately, the project seeks to "both optimise the management of people with ocular hypertension and reduce costs related to the management of the condition."

Personal commentary: This article is unusual as a feature on this blog in that it presents an upcoming research project rather than published data. However, the topic of validating the current OHTS-EGPS glaucoma risk calculator in an additional population and large sample size, with aims to improve upon the calculator's predictive value, should be an interesting project to see data from.

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