Impact of Home Intraocular Pressure Telemonitoring on Intraocular Pressure Control and Glaucoma Progression

Study design This is a 30-month prospective, multicenter, randomized clinical trial to compare the treatment outcomes between two management paradigms: (I) home IOP telemonitoring combined with smart phone-based intervention, and (II) standard care plus smart phone- based intervention, in 142 patients with newly diagnosed primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). Both management paradigms aim to decrease the IOP by the same degree according to the disease severity. For mild to moderate glaucoma (visual field MD ≥ -12 dB), we aim to decrease the IOP by at least 20% from the baseline (methods of baseline IOP measurements are described below) targeting the IOP levels \<21 mmHg; for advanced glaucoma (visual field MD \<-12 dB), we aim to decease the IOP by at least 25% from the baseline targeting the IOP levels \<15 millimeters of mercury (mmHg). The unit of observation for sample size estimation and randomization will be based on subject. Patients will be randomized by minimization, stratified by demographics (age, gender, and axial length) and clinical parameters (baseline IOP levels and baseline RNFL thickness of the better eye). For analysis of outcome measures, both eyes will be included if both eyes are eligible for inclusion (described below), taking account for clustering between fellow eyes. Intent-to-treat analyses will be performed. The primary outcome measure will be clinic-measured GAT measurements collected at 3-month intervals over 30 months of study follow-up. The secondary outcome measures include the rates of change of global, superotemporal and inferotemporal RNFL thicknesses, and the rates of change of global and regional GCIPL thicknesses. We expect that (1) GAT measurements over 30 months of follow-up for patients randomized to Management Paradigm I to be smaller compared with those randomized to Management Paradigm II; and that (2) the rates of RNFL/GCIPL thinning would be slower for those randomized to Management Paradigm I compared with those randomized to Management Paradigm II. Additional analyses include (i) comparisons of visual field (VF) survival probabilities (defined by the Early Manifest Glaucoma Trial (EMGT) criteria) and (ii) the number of ocular hypotensive medications between the treatment groups during the study follow-up; and (iii) investigation of risk factors associated with the rate of RNFL/GCIPL thinning including mean IOP (measured by iCare Home or GAT), long-term IOP fluctuations (IOP deviated from the mean during study follow-up), and glaucoma severity (baseline average RNFL thickness). Study safety endpoints will include: (i) visual field (VF) progression; (ii) decrease in visual acuity (VA) ≥2 lines; and (iii) IOP≥35mmHg on 2 consecutive visits. Patients will exit the study and receive additional treatment(s) if any of the study safety endpoints is reached. Patients randomized to have IOP measured by iCare Home will continue the home IOP measurements until the completion of study. All patients in Management Paradigms I and II will be followed up 3-monthly in the clinic for GAT, optical coherence tomography retinal nerve fiber layer (OCT RNFL) imaging and perimetry.