Compliance with Anti-Glaucoma Medication Among Patients at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto

Non-compliance with prescribed anti-glaucoma medication is a primary contributor to disease progression and preventable blindness among glaucoma patients in Nigeria. This study investigates the level of compliance with anti-glaucoma medication and its determinants among patients attending the ophthalmology clinic at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH), Sokoto, North West Nigeria. A cross-sectional hospital-based study will be conducted among 200 confirmed glaucoma patients on anti-glaucoma topical therapy. Data will be collected using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire assessing medication adherence, knowledge of glaucoma, perceived side effects, cost burden, and the patient-physician relationship. Compliance will be measured using the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale validated for use in Nigerian clinical populations. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression will be performed to identify independent predictors of poor compliance. Studies from Nigerian tertiary hospitals consistently report compliance rates below 50 percent, driven primarily by medication cost, side effects, asymptomatic disease perception, and inadequate patient counselling. This study provides Sokoto-specific evidence to guide the UDUTH ophthalmology unit in structuring patient education programmes and exploring strategies such as medication subsidies, peer support, and simplified dosing regimens. Pharmacists and ophthalmic nurses are well-positioned as key allies in improving adherence counselling. Long-term intraocular pressure control depends fundamentally on consistent patient engagement, making compliance research a cornerstone of glaucoma management in resource-limited Nigerian settings. Keywords: glaucoma, medication compliance, anti-glaucoma drops, Sokoto, adherence