{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,7]],"date-time":"2026-07-07T15:14:10Z","timestamp":1783437250240,"version":"3.54.6"},"reference-count":35,"publisher":"Springer Science and Business Media LLC","issue":"10","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,5]],"date-time":"2026-05-05T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1777939200000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,5]],"date-time":"2026-05-05T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1777939200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["link.springer.com"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Eye"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,7]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Aimed to examine national dispensing patterns of ophthalmic medications in New Zealand over a ten-year period, focusing on demographic and regional variation.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This nationwide population-level retrospective study analysed dispensing data for all Pharmaceutical Management Agency (PHARMAC)-subsidised ophthalmic medications between 1-January-2012 to 31-December-2021. Medications were classified into seven classes. Dispensing rates were compared by age, gender, ethnicity, and region.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>10,941,081 dispensing events were recorded, increasing by 36% from 2012 to 2021. Chloramphenicol, Latanoprost, and Hypromellose with Dextran were the most dispensed agents. Anti-infective agents were mostly dispensed to the youngest and oldest age groups, dry eye and anti-inflammatory agents were dispensed mostly to females, and glaucoma medications were predominantly dispensed to older individuals. Age-adjusted rates demonstrated inequities for M\u0101ori, who accounted for 16.5% of the population but only 8% of dispensing events. M\u0101ori had consistently lower dispensing rates across most medication classes compared to European and the other ethnicity group, which included individuals identifying as any ethnicity other than M\u0101ori, European, or Pasifika, including Asian, Middle Eastern, Latin American, African, and all other ethnicities. Variation by geographic region was noted, with six of 20 regions exceeding the national mean dispensing rate of 246.42 per 1000 population per year.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A substantial increase in dispensing of ophthalmic medications occurred in New Zealand over this 10-year period with significant variation by demographics. The inequity in dispensing rates for M\u0101ori is concerning and may contribute to healthcare inequity. These findings affirm the need for targeted strategies to improve equitable access to ophthalmic care and medications.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1038\/s41433-026-04463-8","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,5]],"date-time":"2026-05-05T16:41:28Z","timestamp":1777999288000},"page":"1545-1551","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/springer_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Ophthalmic dispensing patterns in New Zealand: a ten-year review"],"prefix":"10.1038","volume":"40","author":[{"given":"Brandon","family":"Nunns","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1022-2574","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Vidit","family":"Singh","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jane","family":"Shi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6460-4175","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"James","family":"McKelvie","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"297","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,5]]},"reference":[{"key":"4463_CR1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1068","DOI":"10.1002\/jcph.2451","volume":"64","author":"GD Novack","year":"2024","unstructured":"Novack GD, Robin AL. Ocular pharmacology. J Clin Pharmacol. 2024;64:1068\u201382.","journal-title":"J Clin Pharmacol"},{"key":"4463_CR2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2081","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ophtha.2014.05.013","volume":"121","author":"YC Tham","year":"2014","unstructured":"Tham YC, Li X, Wong TY, Quigley HA, Aung T, Cheng CY. Global prevalence of glaucoma and projections of glaucoma burden through 2040: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Ophthalmology. 2014;121:2081\u201390.","journal-title":"Ophthalmology"},{"key":"4463_CR3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"213","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1442-9071.2006.01196.x","volume":"34","author":"SC Carroll","year":"2006","unstructured":"Carroll SC, Gaskin BJ, Goldberg I, Danesh-Meyer HV. Glaucoma prescribing trends in Australia and New Zealand. Clin Experiment Ophthalmol. 2006;34:213\u20138.","journal-title":"Clin Experiment Ophthalmol"},{"key":"4463_CR4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Cheung IMY, Horsburgh S, Ziaei M, Gokul A. Ocular Antibiotic Utilisation across Aotearoa\/New Zealand. Antibiotics. 2023;12:1007.","DOI":"10.3390\/antibiotics12061007"},{"key":"4463_CR5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"496","DOI":"10.1046\/j.1442-9071.2003.00708.x","volume":"31","author":"PJ McAllum","year":"2003","unstructured":"McAllum PJ, McGhee CNJ. Prescribing trends in infectious keratitis: a survey of New Zealand ophthalmologists. Clin Experiment Ophthalmol. 2003;31:496\u2013504.","journal-title":"Clin Experiment Ophthalmol"},{"key":"4463_CR6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"937","DOI":"10.1007\/s40273-014-0178-2","volume":"32","author":"R Gauld","year":"2014","unstructured":"Gauld R. Ahead of its time? Reflecting on New Zealand\u2019s Pharmac following its 20th anniversary. Pharmacoeconomics. 2014;32:937\u201342. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s40273-014-0178-2.","journal-title":"Pharmacoeconomics"},{"key":"4463_CR7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"714","DOI":"10.1111\/ceo.14279","volume":"51","author":"M Rapata","year":"2023","unstructured":"Rapata M, Cunningham W, Harwood M, Niederer R. Te hauora karu o te iwi M\u0101ori: a comprehensive review of M\u0101ori eye health in Aotearoa\/New Zealand. Clin Experiment Ophthalmol. 2023;51:714\u201327.","journal-title":"Clin Experiment Ophthalmol"},{"key":"4463_CR8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e065430","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2022-065430","volume":"12","author":"P Reid","year":"2022","unstructured":"Reid P, Paine SJ, Te Ao B, Willing EJ, Wyeth E, Vaithianathan R, et al. Estimating the economic costs of Indigenous health inequities in New Zealand: a retrospective cohort analysis. BMJ Open. 2022;12:e065430.","journal-title":"BMJ Open"},{"key":"4463_CR9","first-page":"40","volume":"133","author":"C Chilibeck","year":"2020","unstructured":"Chilibeck C, Mathan JJ, Ng SG, McKelvie J. Cataract surgery in New Zealand: access to surgery, surgical intervention rates and visual acuity. N Z Med J. 2020;133:40\u20139.","journal-title":"N Z Med J"},{"key":"4463_CR10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"937","DOI":"10.1111\/ceo.13528","volume":"47","author":"J Ramke","year":"2019","unstructured":"Ramke J, Jordan V, Vincent AL, Harwood M, Murphy R, Ameratunga S. Diabetic eye disease and screening attendance by ethnicity in New Zealand: a systematic review. Clin Experiment Ophthalmol. 2019;47:937\u201347.","journal-title":"Clin Experiment Ophthalmol"},{"key":"4463_CR11","unstructured":"NZ Stats. Aotearoa data explorer. 2025. https:\/\/explore.data.stats.govt.nz\/."},{"key":"4463_CR12","unstructured":"Core R. Team. R: a language and environment for statistical computing. 2016. https:\/\/www.r-project.org\/."},{"key":"4463_CR13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1292","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ophtha.2020.04.037","volume":"127","author":"EM Chen","year":"2020","unstructured":"Chen EM, Kombo N, Teng CC, Mruthyunjaya P, Nwanyanwu K, Parikh R. Ophthalmic medication expenditures and out-of-pocket spending: an analysis of United States prescriptions from 2007 through 2016. Ophthalmology. 2020;127:1292\u2013302.","journal-title":"Ophthalmology"},{"key":"4463_CR14","unstructured":"PHARMAC. Decision to fund aflibercept and rivaroxaban. Pharmaceutical Management Agency. 2018. https:\/\/www.pharmac.govt.nz\/news-and-resources\/consultations-and-decisions\/decision-to-fund-aflibercept-and-rivaroxaban#:~:text=From."},{"key":"4463_CR15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Meyer JJ, Polkinghorne PJ, McGhee CN. Cataract surgery practices and endophthalmitis prophylaxis by New Zealand Ophthalmologists. Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2016;44:643\u20135.","DOI":"10.1111\/ceo.12712"},{"key":"4463_CR16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"a2812","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.a2812","volume":"338","author":"CF Heal","year":"2009","unstructured":"Heal CF, Buettner PG, Cruickshank R, Graham D, Browning S, Pendergast J, et al. Does single application of topical chloramphenicol to high risk sutured wounds reduce incidence of wound infection after minor surgery? Prospective randomised placebo controlled double blind trial. BMJ. 2009;338:a2812.","journal-title":"BMJ"},{"key":"4463_CR17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1583","DOI":"10.1038\/s41433-022-02181-5","volume":"37","author":"RR Hossain","year":"2023","unstructured":"Hossain RR, Guest S, Wallace HB, McKelvie J. Ophthalmic surgery in New Zealand: analysis of 410,099 surgical procedures and nationwide surgical intervention rates from 2009 to 2018. Eye. 2023;37:1583\u20139.","journal-title":"Eye"},{"key":"4463_CR18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"118","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1755-3768.2011.02324.x","volume":"91","author":"M R\u00e5en","year":"2013","unstructured":"R\u00e5en M, Sandvik GF, Drolsum L. Endophthalmitis following cataract surgery: the role of prophylactic postoperative chloramphenicol eye drops. Acta Ophthalmol. 2013;91:118\u201322.","journal-title":"Acta Ophthalmol"},{"key":"4463_CR19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"224","DOI":"10.1097\/j.jcrs.0000000000001341","volume":"50","author":"AA Awidi","year":"2024","unstructured":"Awidi AA, Chang DF, Riaz KM, Li X, LaBorwit S, Zebardast N, et al. Anti-inflammatory medication use after cataract surgery: online survey of practice patterns. J Cataract Refract Surg. 2024;50:224\u20139.","journal-title":"J Cataract Refract Surg"},{"key":"4463_CR20","unstructured":"NZ Formulary. ciprofloxacin (eye and ear). New Zealand Formulary. 2025. https:\/\/nzf.org.nz\/nzf_5791."},{"key":"4463_CR21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Scott DAR, Mansell C, McKelvie J. Bacteria identified on corneal scrapes demonstrate increasing resistance to fluoroquinolones in New Zealand. Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2022;50:352\u20134.","DOI":"10.1111\/ceo.14061"},{"key":"4463_CR22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"350.e1","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jaapos.2021.06.006","volume":"25","author":"HM Frost","year":"2021","unstructured":"Frost HM, Sebastian T, Durfee J, Jenkins TC. Ophthalmic antibiotic use for acute infectious conjunctivitis in children. J AAPOS. 2021;25:350.e1\u2013350.e7.","journal-title":"J AAPOS"},{"key":"4463_CR23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"135","DOI":"10.1111\/aos.16599","volume":"102","author":"G J\u00f3hannesson","year":"2024","unstructured":"J\u00f3hannesson G, Stille U, Taube AB, Karlsson M, Kalaboukhova L, Bergstr\u00f6m A, et al. Guidelines for the management of open-angle glaucoma. Acta Ophthalmol. 2024;102:135\u201350.","journal-title":"Acta Ophthalmol"},{"key":"4463_CR24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1177","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ophtha.2005.01.042","volume":"112","author":"R van der Valk","year":"2005","unstructured":"van der Valk R, Webers CAB, Schouten JSAG, Zeegers MP, Hendrikse F, Prins MH. Intraocular pressure-lowering effects of all commonly used glaucoma drugs: a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Ophthalmology. 2005;112:1177\u201385.","journal-title":"Ophthalmology"},{"key":"4463_CR25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1159\/000453313","volume":"1","author":"JJ Mathan","year":"2016","unstructured":"Mathan JJ, Patel DV, McGhee CNJ, Patel HY. Analysis of glaucoma subtypes and corresponding demographics in a New Zealand population. Biomed Hub. 2016;1:1\u20138.","journal-title":"Biomed Hub"},{"key":"4463_CR26","unstructured":"Government NZ. Medicines Amendment Act 2013. New Zealand Government; 2013. https:\/\/www.legislation.govt.nz\/act\/public\/2013\/0141\/latest\/DLM4096106.html."},{"key":"4463_CR27","unstructured":"Pharmaceutical Management Agency. Pharmaceutical Schedule. 2021. https:\/\/schedule.pharmac.govt.nz\/2021\/03\/18\/SU.pdf."},{"key":"4463_CR28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Kathuria A, Shamloo K, Jhanji V, Sharma A. Categorization of marketed artificial tear formulations based on their ingredients: a rational approach for their use. J Clin Med. 2021;10:1289.","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm10061289"},{"key":"4463_CR29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Britten-Jones AC, Wang MTM, Samuels I, Jennings C, Stapleton F, Craig JP. Epidemiology and risk factors of dry eye disease: considerations for clinical management. Medicina. 2024;60:1458.","DOI":"10.3390\/medicina60091458"},{"key":"4463_CR30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"146","DOI":"10.3109\/02713683.2014.932388","volume":"40","author":"HN Sen","year":"2015","unstructured":"Sen HN, Davis J, Ucar D, Fox A, Chan CC, Goldstein DA. Gender disparities in ocular inflammatory disorders. Curr Eye Res. 2015;40:146\u201361.","journal-title":"Curr Eye Res"},{"key":"4463_CR31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"495","DOI":"10.1159\/000517520","volume":"244","author":"R Flores","year":"2021","unstructured":"Flores R, Carneiro \u00c2, Vieira M, Tenreiro S, Seabra MC. Age-related macular degeneration: pathophysiology, management, and future perspectives. Ophthalmologica. 2021;244:495\u2013511.","journal-title":"Ophthalmologica"},{"key":"4463_CR32","unstructured":"Wilson K, Chong D, Molloy S. Pharmaceutical Schedule. Pharmaceutical Management Agency. 2025. p. 198\u20139. https:\/\/schedule.pharmac.govt.nz\/2025\/04\/01\/Schedule.pdf."},{"key":"4463_CR33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","unstructured":"Sheridan N, Jansen RM, Harwood M, Love T, Kenealy T, Aguirre-Duarte N, et al. Hauora M\u0101ori \u2013 M\u0101ori health: a right to equal outcomes in primary care. Int J Equity Health. 2024;23:42. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1186\/s12939-023-02071-6.","DOI":"10.1186\/s12939-023-02071-6"},{"key":"4463_CR34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"140","DOI":"10.1016\/j.healthplace.2014.07.005","volume":"29","author":"P Norris","year":"2014","unstructured":"Norris P, Horsburgh S, Sides G, Ram S, Fraser J. Geographical access to community pharmacies in New Zealand. Health Place. 2014;29:140\u20135.","journal-title":"Health Place"},{"key":"4463_CR35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"258","DOI":"10.1111\/ceo.14377","volume":"52","author":"M Cabrera-Aguas","year":"2024","unstructured":"Cabrera-Aguas M, Chidi-Egboka N, Kandel H, Watson SL. Antimicrobial resistance in ocular infection: a review. Clin Experiment Ophthalmol. 2024;52:258\u201375. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/ceo.14377.","journal-title":"Clin Experiment Ophthalmol"}],"container-title":["Eye"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41433-026-04463-8.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41433-026-04463-8","content-type":"text\/html","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41433-026-04463-8.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,7]],"date-time":"2026-07-07T14:22:06Z","timestamp":1783434126000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41433-026-04463-8"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,5]]},"references-count":35,"journal-issue":{"issue":"10","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,7]]}},"alternative-id":["4463"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41433-026-04463-8","relation":{},"ISSN":["0950-222X","1476-5454"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0950-222X","type":"print"},{"value":"1476-5454","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,5]]},"assertion":[{"value":"14 September 2025","order":1,"name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"value":"20 February 2026","order":2,"name":"revised","label":"Revised","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"value":"9 April 2026","order":3,"name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"value":"5 May 2026","order":4,"name":"first_online","label":"First Online","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"value":"The authors declare no competing interests.","order":1,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Competing interests"}}]}}