OBJECTIVE: Glaucoma - advanced progressive eyes illness that remains one of the main reasons of visual function loss all over the world and has considerable social significance. The aim of our study was to calculate cost of illness of glaucoma from the Moscow Department of Healthcare (MDH) point of view.

METHODS: In order to estimate the annual costs of drug therapy in Moscow for patients with glaucoma we have developed an analytical model, relying on database of reimbursed prescription drugs financed by MDH in 2019, as well as literature sources. We have also analyzed frequency of prescribed drugs, as well as age of patients.

RESULTS: We found that drug that causes the highest cost among medicines used in therapy of glaucoma is latanoprost (58,5% of total costs), then betaxolol (15,3%), latanoprost+timolol (5,1%), dorzolamide (4,5%), dorzolamide+timolol (3,8%), brinzolamide (3,6%) and 301 other drugs (9,26%). Most commonly prescribed is latanoprost (36,2% of all prescriptions), then betaxolol (17,1%), timolol (16,8%), dorzolamide (8,5%), latanoprost+timolol (3,6%), taurin (3,4%), other 306 drugs (14,4%). Almost half patients (49,6%) were in 60-79-year-old age group, 45,5% were 80-99 years old, 4,9% were younger than 59 (but older than 3 years old) and 0,05% of patients were 100 years old or older.

CONCLUSIONS: The structure of glaucoma drug therapy, financed by MDH demonstrates that the drugs that cause the highest costs for one patient among prescribed drugs is latanoprost. It is also the most frequently prescribed drug. Almost 95% of patients are in 60-99-year-old age group.