Issue 23.13
Dr. Sharon Richens at the Richens Eye Center is among a select group of doctors nationwide approved to perform a new breakthrough treatment for glaucoma patients who also have cataracts. She is among just 200 eye surgeons nationwide, and is presently the only surgeon in Southern Utah, approved to use a device called the iStent Trabecular (trab-EH’-cu-lar) Micro-Bypass Stent® or iStent.
Dr. Richens describes the iStent as a microscopic tube – just one millimeter in size – that’s designed to be inserted into the eye during cataract surgery as a treatment for glaucoma which is a leading cause of vision loss and blindness. “The iStent acts like a tiny snorkel to help the fluid drain properly to reduce the fluid pressure and protect the optic nerve. I feel this will be a real game changer for patients who have glaucoma; instead of having to wait until later in the disease process to intervene effectively, we’ll be able to act earlier and reduce the chance of vision loss.”
The iStent is designed for people with mild to moderate cases of the most common form of glaucoma, called “open-angle” glaucoma. In a healthy eye, clear fluid flows continuously in and out of the eye through the trabecular meshwork and Schlemm’s canal. In open-angle glaucoma, this meshwork becomes blocked or drains too slowly, allowing pressure to build up inside the eye and potentially rising to a level that damages the optic nerve.
Traditional treatments have consisted of prescription eye drops that often have to be administered multiple times daily which can be expensive and difficult to do. Dr. Richens says; “Some patients are on two or three medications at a cost of $100 – $300 per month. With iStent, many of our patients will need less medicine to control their eye pressure and some may not need any drops at all.”
Dr. Richens has been anticipating the iStent’s release for some time and is excited that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved it last year as a treatment to be performed in conjunction with cataract surgery. “This is great news for people with both a cataract and glaucoma,” she said. “The iStent is the smallest medical device ever approved by the FDA. It’s so small that patients won’t even feel or see it, but it will be working inside the eye to help reduce their eye pressure. We’re proud to be among a limited number of providers around the country able to offer this to our patients.”
Richens Eye Center is proud to be among the leaders in the eye care field who is offering this treatment. If you have glaucoma and cataracts and would like to know if you’re a candidate for this procedure, please call and schedule an appointment with one of our doctors. They will be able to assess your eyes and guide you to the best option including the iStent procedure. Richens Eye Center is recognized for its surgical excellence and state-of-the-art treatments for cataract, glaucoma, diabetic eye disease and macular degeneration. It’s also the region’s referral center for vitreoretinal surgery and laser vision services, such as iLASIK, Intralase and ICL.
For more information about the Glaukos Corporation, developer of the iStent, and their groundbreaking glaucoma treatments, log on to www.glaukos.com.
To hear from Dr. Sharon Richens and learn more about the iStent, log on to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJtlcW36RGU