iStent Surgery for Glaucoma

What is iStent?

iStent is one of the world's smallest medical implants—approximately 1mm in length and 0.3mm wide. Despite its tiny size, it can make a significant difference in your eye's drainage system and pressure levels.

The iStent is designed to create a permanent opening in your eye's natural drainage system to improve the flow of fluid out of your eye. By improving this flow, the iStent can lower and control pressure within your eye.

Potential Reduction in Eye Medications After iStent

How Does iStent Work?

To understand how iStent works, it helps to know a bit about your eye's drainage system:

1

Trabecular Meshwork
This is the eye's natural drainage system that becomes clogged in glaucoma. The iStent is placed here to create a bypass channel.

2

Schlemm's Canal
The iStent creates a pathway for fluid to flow directly into this natural drainage channel.

3

Aqueous Humor
This is the fluid that circulates in your eye. In glaucoma, this fluid builds up, creating high pressure that can damage your optic nerve.

1. Your eye constantly produces a clear fluid called aqueous humor that nourishes the eye
2. In a healthy eye, this fluid flows through a drainage system called the trabecular meshwork
3. In glaucoma, this meshwork becomes clogged or doesn't function properly
4. When fluid can't drain properly, pressure builds up inside the eye
5. This elevated pressure can damage the optic nerve and cause vision loss

The iStent creates a permanent bypass through the blocked trabecular meshwork. Think of it as creating a small tunnel that allows fluid to flow more easily, reducing pressure inside your eye.

See How iStent Improves Fluid Flow

Before iStent

After iStent

Before iStent Placement

In glaucoma, the eye's drainage system (trabecular meshwork) becomes clogged. This prevents fluid from flowing out properly, causing pressure to build up inside the eye.

• Blocked drainage channels
• High eye pressure
• Risk of optic nerve damage
• Need for multiple medications

After iStent Placement

The iStent creates a bypass through the blocked drainage system. This allows fluid to flow more freely, helping to lower and control eye pressure.

• Improved fluid drainage
• Lower eye pressure
• Protection of the optic nerve
• Potential reduction in medications

Results You Can Expect

While results vary between patients, many experience:

• Lower eye pressure, often stabilizing within a few weeks after surgery
• Reduced need for glaucoma medications (some patients can stop using eye drops altogether)
• Better control of glaucoma over time
• Slowed progression of glaucoma damage

It's important to note that iStent doesn't cure glaucoma or reverse vision that has already been lost. The goal is to lower your eye pressure to prevent further damage to your vision.

Is iStent Right for You?

iStent may be suitable for you if:

• You have mild to moderate open-angle glaucoma
• You're already scheduled for cataract surgery
• You're using glaucoma medications but would like to reduce or eliminate them
• You prefer a less invasive approach than traditional glaucoma surgery

The procedure may not be recommended if:

• You have advanced or aggressive glaucoma that requires a more significant pressure reduction
• You have angle-closure glaucoma or certain other types of glaucoma
• You have had previous glaucoma surgery that has altered your eye's anatomy