This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
iStent may be effective in severe primary open-angle glaucoma
Patients with severe primary open-angle glaucoma who received a trabecular microbypass stent during cataract surgery experienced a significant drop in IOP and medication use.
The retrospective case series included 59 eyes with severe primary open-angle glaucoma that underwent cataract surgery and received one iStent (Glaukos). After surgery, patients were prescribed a daily NSAID for 4 weeks, moxifloxacin 0.05% for 1 week and steroid drops for 4 weeks.
At baseline, mean IOP was 19.25 mm Hg, and at 1 year, mean IOP was 14.38 mm Hg (P < .01). At 24 months, mean IOP was 14.92 mm Hg (P < .01).
At baseline, the mean number of glaucoma medications was 2.27. At 24 months, patients experienced a statistically significant 28% reduction to 1.63 glaucoma medications (P < .01).
No cases of hypotony were recorded in the case series, but five eyes had IOP spikes of 15 mm Hg or greater postoperatively and 14 eyes had an IOP increase of 10 mm Hg or more above baseline.
“Although the stent is indicated for use in mild to moderate POAG, the favorable findings in this study suggest that implantation of the stent during cataract surgery is safe and effective in severe POAG,” the study authors wrote. – by Robert Linnehan
Disclosures: Ferguson reports no relevant financial disclosures. Please see the study for all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.