Positioning important when implanting trabecular micro-bypass stent

Open-angle glaucoma currently affects 2.2 million people in the United States, and that number is expected to increase to 3.36 million by 2020. It can be treated with medications, laser or filtration surgeries, but most cases of mild to moderate glaucoma have been without a surgical option with an appropriate risk profile. Fortunately, technologies are arising to meet the demand. The new category of microinvasive glaucoma surgery groups together a variety of novel surgical options for the treatment of glaucoma that have significantly lower risk profiles than traditional glaucoma surgeries. These devices are changing the glaucoma treatment paradigm and offering patients new options.The iStent trabecular micro-bypass stent (Glaukos) is one such MIGS device that gives comprehensive ophthalmologists and glaucoma specialists a low-risk surgical option for treating their patients with comorbid cataracts and mild to moderate glaucoma. The iStent is delivered ab interno through the same clear corneal incision used for cataract surgery and is implanted in Schlemm’s canal, creating a pathway for aqueous humor to drain from the anterior chamber.