FDA has announced it has approved the first glaucoma stent for use with cataract surgery, according to a news release.
The iStent Trabecular Micro-Bypass Stent System, model GTS100R/L, manufactured by Glaukos Corp., is the first device approved for use in combination with cataract surgery to reduce intraocular pressure in adult patients with mild or moderate open-angle glaucoma and a cataract who are currently being treated with medication to reduce intraocular pressure.
The iStent is a small titanium tube placed through the meshwork of tissue. This creates an opening between the eye's anterior chamber and Schlemm's canal that allows fluid to drain, potentially decreasing intraocular pressure.
"The iStent is a new option that may be considered in the treatment of open-angle glaucoma in patients needing cataract extraction," said Christy Foreman, director of the office of device evaluation at FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health, in the release. "This option may be considered earlier in the disease process than some other types of surgical glaucoma treatments."
Glaukos Corp. is headquartered in Laguna Hills, Calif.
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