If you have glaucoma, you probably know the routine by now. Eye drops every day. Regular visits to check your eye pressure. A quiet worry in the back of your mind about whether the numbers are holding steady.
Managing glaucoma does not have to mean a lifetime of drops alone. One option worth understanding is a tiny device called the iStent. Keep reading to learn more about whether the iStent could fit into your glaucoma treatment plan.
What Is the iStent?
The iStent is a tiny titanium tube placed inside the eye’s natural drainage system. It creates a new pathway for fluid to leave the eye, which helps lower eye pressure.
The device is so small that once it is in place, you will not be able to see or feel it. While a comprehensive eye exam is the only way to know whether the iStent could be right for you, here are five benefits worth considering:
1. It May Reduce Your Dependence on Eye Drops
Many people with glaucoma take one or more eye drops every day to keep their pressure under control. Missing a dose here and there is common, and it can make the medication less effective over time.
By improving how fluid drains from the eye, the iStent can lower eye pressure on its own. For some patients, this means needing fewer drops to reach the same result.
2. It’s Placed During Cataract Surgery, With No Extra Recovery Time
If you are already scheduled for cataract surgery, the iStent can often be implanted at the same time. The device is inserted through the same tiny incision used to remove the cataract.
This means no separate procedure, no extra time in surgery, and no additional recovery period. You heal from cataract surgery and gain glaucoma treatment in a single visit.
3. It’s One of the Smallest Medical Devices Ever Approved by the FDA
The iStent measures about 1 millimeter, roughly the size of a grain of rice cut into thirds. It is made from titanium, the same biocompatible material used in many other implants placed in the body.
Because it is so small and precisely placed, the risk of complications is generally low. Most patients notice little to no difference in how their eye looks or feels after healing.
4. It Offers a Lower-Risk Alternative to Traditional Glaucoma Surgery
Traditional glaucoma surgeries, like trabeculectomy, involve creating a new drainage channel from scratch. These procedures can be effective, but they also require a longer recovery and carry a higher risk of complications.
The iStent belongs to a newer category of treatment called minimally invasive glaucoma surgery, or MIGS, which tends to be gentler on the eye and has a quicker recovery. Because glaucoma can be managed in more than one way, it is worth reviewing the different treatments to consider after a glaucoma diagnosis with your eye doctor before choosing a path forward.
5. It Can Help Protect Your Optic Nerve Over Time
Eye pressure is the one part of glaucoma that can actually be treated. Lowering it can slow or stop further damage to the optic nerve.
Because the iStent works continuously once it is in place, it can help keep your eye pressure steady between office visits, not just on the day you remember to use your drops.
Schedule Your Glaucoma Consultation Today
The only way to know if the iStent is right for you is through a comprehensive glaucoma consultation. During this visit, your eye doctor will review your health history, measure your eye pressure, and examine your optic nerve.
You will also talk through your current medications and whether cataract surgery is in your near future. The experts at Frantz EyeCare have years of experience helping patients weigh options like the iStent against other glaucoma treatments.
Wondering if the iStent could help lower your eye pressure? Schedule an appointment at Frantz EyeCare in Fort Myers, FL, today.
