Aims To report the persistence of glaucoma medical therapy in a database of 1006 patients with ocular hypertension (OHT), normal tension glaucoma (NTG) and primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) attending the Glaucoma Clinic at Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, UK.

Method Analyses have been carried out using specially written queries to generate reports relating to initial treatment choice and persistence for individual drugs. Queries were investigated in the database time period from 16 February 1982 to 11 February 2009. When investigating drug persistence, the results from the database were split into two distinct time periods from 1997 to 2001 and from 2002 to 2009 to reflect the available treatment options used.

Results The number of patients with each diagnosis was as follows: POAG 608; OHT 246; NTG 152. The Kaplan–Meier estimate for mean persistence from 1997 to 2001 (time to treatment discontinuation) of latanoprost was 58.8±1.95 months, timolol was 41.8±3.94 months, brimonidine was 24.1±3.05 months, and betaxolol was 22.9±2.04 months. The Kaplan–Meier estimate for mean persistence from 2002 to 2009 of latanoprost (time to treatment discontinuation) was 52.0±2.26 months, bimatoprost was 25.8±2.89 months, and travoprost was 23.0±1.27 months. The Kaplan–Meier estimate for mean persistence of latanoprost (time to treatment change) was 37.5±2.47 months, travoprost was 30.2±2.70 months, and bimatoprost was 17.5±2.88 months.

Conclusion The introduction of the first prostaglandin analogue, latanoprost, dramatically improved treatment persistence for glaucoma patients. In the current prostaglandin-rich treatment environment, these data do not show any significant differences between prostaglandins with respect to treatment persistence.