Economic Burden of Glaucoma on Patients and Households in Ibadan, Oyo State: A Cost-of-Illness Study

Glaucoma imposes significant and sustained economic burdens on affected individuals and their households through direct medical costs and indirect productivity losses, yet this economic dimension remains largely unmeasured in Nigerian ophthalmic research. This study estimates the economic burden of glaucoma on patients and their households in Ibadan, Oyo State, South West Nigeria. A cost-of-illness study will be conducted among 200 adult glaucoma patients attending the eye clinic at University College Hospital, Ibadan. Direct costs including consultation fees, anti-glaucoma medications, diagnostic investigations, surgical costs, transport, and accommodation for clinic visits will be captured using patient expenditure diaries and clinic record review over a three-month period and annualised. Indirect costs, including productivity losses from visual disability and clinic attendance, will be estimated using the human capital approach. Out-of-pocket expenditure as a proportion of household income will be calculated to assess catastrophic health spending. Descriptive statistics and regression analysis will identify correlates of higher economic burden. Glaucoma's chronic, progressive nature and lifelong medication requirement generate cumulative economic costs that are rarely quantified in Nigerian households. The resulting financial hardship may in turn compromise medication adherence and follow-up attendance, creating a vicious cycle of economic stress and disease progression. This study provides evidence for Oyo State health insurance authorities and national health financing policymakers on the need for glaucoma inclusion in benefit packages. Recommendations will advocate for subsidised glaucoma medications and surgical services within the National Health Insurance Authority framework. Keywords: economic burden, cost-of-illness, glaucoma, household expenditure, Ibadan