[The six keys of the monitoring of the glaucoma patient].

Treatment of glaucoma aims at preserving the visual function and the Quality of Life (QoL) of the patients. To slow down the progression of the disease, the IOP should be decreased to a level where the risk of further deterioration is reduced to a minimum. Rates of progression vary between patients. Detection of glaucoma progression should be based on the assessment of structure and function. When making a treatment plan, one should take into consideration the rate of progression and the impact of visual field deterioration on the QoL. Therefore, a careful and reliable baseline examination is crucial. Furthermore, yearly documentation of the optic disc and frequent examinations of the visual field, especially during the first two years of follow-up, are mandatory to evaluate how aggressive the treatment should be. Slowing down progression of the disease is closely related to a good communication with the patient, the quality of the information provided, and the tolerance of the medications, all keys to a good adherence. Other risk factors than IOP should be looked for and treated if possible, especially when worsening of glaucoma damage is observed despite apparently good IOP control and compliance. Modern monitoring of the glaucoma patient can be summarized in six keys. Current limitations of this approach will be briefly discussed.