Sustained-release implants help optimize glaucoma care
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Due to COVID-19, my practice only saw urgent or emergent patients at risk of going blind for 3 months in early 2020. Once we began to accept patients for routine in-person visits again, we worked to optimize treatment for a COVID-19 world.
The arrival of the first sustained-release implant, Durysta (bimatoprost intracameral implant, Allergan), in early 2020 was a welcome development as my practice adopted a new model of care that sought to minimize in-person doctor-patient interaction as much as practicable.
For decades, glaucoma treatment has been reactive: We test a patient’s IOP, look for any progression in the optic nerve, visual field and retinal nerve fiber layer, and adjust medications accordingly. This strategy has drawbacks during the pandemic because we want to minimize office visits and encourage people to avoid touching their face, something that is nearly impossible when administering eye drops.
Unlike eye drops, Durysta is a sustained-release drug delivery system that slowly delivers medication to diseased eye tissues around the clock for several months. The intracameral sustained-release medication can replace topical medications, and because I know the patient is continuously receiving their medication, I do not need to see them in clinic as often. It goes without saying that patients also do not need to visit the pharmacy to fill prescriptions while their IOP is controlled by the implant. This helps to reduce the number of public spaces where a patient could be exposed to COVID-19. Some of my patients also require assistance from a friend or family member to instill drops due to comorbidities such as arthritis or dementia. Again, removing the friend or family member from the equation may help protect patients from COVID-19 while the vaccines are rolled out to the general public.
The past year has been a sobering reminder that our routines can be disrupted, and what we have done in the past may not always serve us as well in the future. While our circumstances may change, our patients’ needs remain constant. In trying times such as this pandemic, we must exhaust all options for our patients and look for innovative ways to ensure continuity of care. While the benefits offered by Durysta are particularly valuable today, I am certain sustained-release technologies will continue to be embraced long after the pandemic has been relegated to the history books.
- For more information:
- Gagan Sawhney, MD, can be reached at Georgia Eye Partners, 550 Peachtree St. NE, Suite 1500, Atlanta, GA 30308; email: gagan.sawhney@gaeyepartners.com.
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