Lessons in Glaucoma Patient Care

In this episode, which originally posted in June 2025, my esteemed guest was Hillary Golden. Hillary is a keynote speaker and advisor on the topic of patient care in ophthalmology with a particular focus (no pun intended) on glaucoma. Doctors, practice administrators, and healthcare technicians will learn about the experience of a patient from diagnosis to ongoing treatment. Whether you are in eye care or not, this is an episode for you. We talk with glaucoma advocate and patient strategy consultant Hillary Golden about how a routine eye visit for a sty revealed severe normal tension glaucoma and major vision loss she never noticed. We dig into why trust, education, and small staff behaviors can determine whether patients stick with treatment and protect their sight. • how a full eye exam during COVID led to an urgent referral and a severe glaucoma diagnosis • why normal tension glaucoma can progress with “normal” eye pressure • how the brain masks vision loss through interpolation and why symptoms may not show up • why eye drop side effects drive non-adherence and how better education changes behavior • how to build trust through simple, repeatable communication steps across the clinic • advocating for yourself as a patient, including asking for a different tech and seeking second opinions • the gap between patients, doctors, and companies and why patient stories belong in trainings and conferences • what Hillary is watching in the glaucoma treatment pipeline, including overnight negative-pressure goggles and new drug approaches If you would like an HR assessment or ongoing HR support, please reach out to me at seasoned-advice.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show on your podcast app and share it with someone who would value the content. I also invite you to subscribe to my HR newsletter for Eye Care leaders. You can find information about that at www.seasoned-advice.com.