INVESTIGATION OF THE EFFECT OF RUSSIAN MILLITARY FORCES INVASION IN UKRAINE ON THE ORGANISATION OF MEDICAL CARE FOR PATIENTS WITH OPEN-ANGLE GLAUCOMA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11603/1681-2786.2025.3.15657Keywords:
organization of medical care; open-angle glaucoma; ophthalmology; prevention of glaucoma progression; early glaucoma detection; surgical treatment of glaucoma.Abstract
Purpose: to investigate the impact of the full-scale invasion of Russian troops into Ukraine on the accessibility, timeliness, and quality of medical care for patients with primary open-angle glaucoma. Materials and Methods. The study was based on the results of a survey of ophthalmologists from state and private healthcare institutions across all regions of Ukraine, using a self-developed questionnaire. Bibliographic, statistical, and analytical methods were applied. Results. During the full-scale invasion of Russian troops into Ukraine, 57.6% of ophthalmologists noted changes in the epidemiology of glaucoma. In particular, 61.3% of respondents reported an increase in the percentage of secondary glaucoma cases, while 33.5% reported an increase in the percentage of open-angle glaucoma. A total of 63% of ophthalmologists observed a rise in the proportion of patients with stage III (60.4%) and stage IV (17.9%) glaucoma. More than 65% of ophthalmologists rated the overall quality of ophthalmic care, and glaucoma care specifically, as high. Fifty-five percent of respondents expressed satisfaction with the available technical facilities for diagnosing and treating glaucoma. Ophthalmologists reported that, during the war, the number of glaucoma patients who seek medical care late (75.1%) and irregularly (83.1%) has increased. Additionally, 62.7% of respondents noted a rise in the number of glaucoma patients who do not follow through with prescribed surgical treatment. The main reasons for refusing surgery include reduced financial capacity, being in occupied territories and transportation difficulties, psychological issues, and the absence of close relatives able to provide support. Conclusions. The full-scale invasion of Russian troops into Ukraine has negatively affected the capacity of healthcare institutions to improve the quality of services and enhance technical facilities. The accessibility of ophthalmic care for the population has decreased, leading to reduced timeliness of glaucoma detection, less regularity in patient visits, and lower treatment adherence, particularly to surgical interventions. Consequently, glaucoma outcomes and treatment effectiveness are deteriorating.
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