Science Current Events | Science News | Brightsurf.com
 
Email a Friend Send to a friend
Printer Friendly Print Glaucoma procedure now available at Mayo Clinic aims to prevent further eye damage

Glaucoma procedure now available at Mayo Clinic aims to prevent further eye damage

June 26, 2008

JACKSONVILLE - For the first time in Florida, patients with glaucoma have a new treatment option known as the Trabectome. The minimally invasive procedure, which is available at Mayo Clinic and takes about 20 minutes, is designed to decrease pressure within the eye and stabilize the vision.

"The goal of this procedure is to prevent further damage within the eye," says ophthalmologist Rajesh Shetty, M.D. He says that some patients have been able to reduce or eliminate use of daily eye drop medications that regulate intraocular pressure.




Glaucoma, the second leading cause of blindness, is a disease that causes irreversible damage to the optic nerve from increasing pressure within the eye. This occurs because the eye produces a clear fluid that does not drain adequately and raises the eye pressure. The first sign of glaucoma is a loss of peripheral vision that is usually not noticed by the patient until it affects the central vision. Unfortunately, vision lost to glaucoma can't be restored so treatment aims to reduce eye pressure to prevent further damage.

Traditionally, ophthalmologists first prescribe eye drops to reduce the eye pressure, and if that doesn't work, they can perform a laser procedure (trabeculoplasty) to the existing internal drainage canal around the base of the cornea. A more invasive treatment is trabeculectomy, a surgical technique to create a new drain for the eye.

The Trabectome procedure uses a small probe that opens the eye's drainage system through a tiny incision in the eye's cornea. "It removes a small portion of the eye's natural drainage system so that it functions better," says Dr. Shetty. He says it should be used when eye drops and laser trabeculoplasty fail to reduce pressure and before trabeculectomy is considered. "I see this as another rung in the ladder of treatment for glaucoma," he says.

So far, more than a dozen patients have had the procedure at Mayo Clinic in Florida, although the technique has been available at Mayo Clinic in Rochester for a few years. To date, several thousand procedures have been done nationwide, according to Dr. Shetty.

The procedure requires very little sedation and patients generally recover within a week. "We have been pleased with the results," he says, noting that although lost vision cannot be restored with the procedure, some patients have reported improved vision overall after surgery.

An estimated 4 million Americans are affected by glaucoma. Glaucoma screenings are suggested for anyone over 40 every two to four years. A routine exam can help identify risk for glaucoma and early signs of the disease. Risk factors for glaucoma include: a family history of the disease, African or Hispanic ancestry, diabetes, certain rare eye diseases and having had an eye injury or having used any corticosteroid preparation for a prolonged period.

Mayo Clinic



Related Glaucoma Current Events and Glaucoma News Articles Glaucoma Current Events and Glaucoma News RSS Glaucoma Current Events and Glaucoma News RSS
Melatonin may save eyesight in inflammatory disease
Current research suggests that melatonin therapy may help treat uveitis, a common inflammatory eye disease. The related report by Sande et al., "Therapeutic Effect of Melatonin in Experimental Uveitis," appears in the December issue of The American Journal of Pathology.

Eye conditions linked with obstructive sleep apnea
If a good night's sleep helps the brain and body perform better, it's a good guess that sleep problems can cause more than just fatigue. Numerous studies have shown a connection between sleep disorders and medical conditions such as cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, and metabolic disorders, including the risk of obesity and diabetes mellitus. In the November issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, Mayo Clinic researchers outline several interesting associations between sleep disorders and eye disease.

Vision loss more common in people with diabetes
Visual impairment appears to be more common in people with diabetes than in those without the disease, according to a report in the October issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Medication slows progression of myopia in children
Daily treatment with a medication called pirenzepine can slow the rate of progressive myopia, or nearsightedness, in children, reports a study in the August issue of the Journal of AAPOS (American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus).

Case Western Reserve and Penn State investigators inhibit corneal inflammation
Researchers from the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and Penn State Hershey College of Medicine identified a novel therapeutic that reduces sterile inflammation within the cornea.

Glaucoma report points to increased costs
A new Centre for Eye Research Australia/ Access Economics report shows the cost of glaucoma will more than double in the next two decades.

'Fluorescent' cells give early warning for eye disease
Scientists at the University of Michigan have shown that their new metabolic imaging instrument can accurately detect eye disease at a very early stage.

Role identified for glaucoma gene and related signaling pathway
Researchers have found that a gene and a related signaling pathway play a role in the development of glaucoma, which is a common cause of visual impairment and blindness worldwide.

Cost of glaucoma medications may impact treatment
In the United States, the management of glaucoma costs about $2.5 billion per year. Of the $1.9 billion in direct costs, glaucoma medications account for an estimated 38% to 52% of the total.

Using fMRI to study brain development
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a powerful noninvasive tool for studying brain activity in both humans and experimental animals.
More Glaucoma Current Events and Glaucoma News Articles


What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About(TM) Glaucoma: The Essential Treatments and Advances That Could Save Your Sight (What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About...)
by Gregory K. Harmon, Nancy Intrator

Most people can recite the warning signs of cancer and just about everybody knows the risk factors for heart disease. But how many people know the facts about glaucoma? Well, what you don't know might save your sight. Glaucoma is an insidious and painful disease that is often misunderstood, and ultimately can rob patients of their sight completely. Between three and four million Americans are...



Shields' Textbook of Glaucoma

This popular reference on glaucoma management now offers a more practical and clinically focused textbook for ophthalmologists and residents. Readers find new or extensively updated information on cellular and molecular biology of the eye, molecular genetics and classification of glaucomas, epidemiology and public health, screening and risk assessment, congenital and developmental glaucomas with...



Get It Up! Revealing the Simple Surprising Lifestyle that Causes Migraines, Alzheimer's, Stroke, Glaucoma, Sleep Apnea, Impotence,...and More!
by Sydney Ross Singer, Soma Grismaijer

Imagine curing migraines by merely altering a simple lifestyle habit. Even more, imagine this same lifestyle habit, something we take for granted as normal, can also cause Alzheimer's disease, impotence, stroke, glaucoma, sleep apnea, and more. There would finally be hope, real hope, for the countless millions who suffer from these conditions, and for their families and loved ones who...



Glaucoma (Essentials in Ophthalmology)

This third Glaucoma volume of the Essentials in Ophthalmology series, as in the first and the second, provides a picture of recent progress in the field of glaucoma, in both basic clinical research and applied clinical science. Its intention is not to replace textbooks on glaucoma, but to serve as a conceptual bridge between original research and textbook presentation. Topics include: ...



The Pediatric Glaucomas
by Anil Mandal, Peter Netland

Here is a comprehensive and up-to-date source on the origins, diagnosis, and management of glaucomas in children. The authors balance evidence-based management guidelines with perspectives from their abundant direct clinical experience. Coverage includes the most recent advances in genetics, medical therapy, and surgical treatment…long-term management…treatment of intractable glaucomas…and...



Surgical Techniques in Ophthalmology Series: Glaucoma Surgery: Text with DVD
by Teresa C. Chen

Whether you're in training or an established practitioner, the brand-new Surgical Techniques in Ophthalmology Series features the essential information you need on a variety of surgical maneuvers in six subspecialty areas. Every author has been carefully selected for each title based on their experience and wealth of clinical expertise. And, each book is presented in a concise, templated format...



Glaucoma: Color Atlas & Synopsis of Clinical Ophtalmology (Wills Eye Series)
by Douglas J. Rhee, Christopher J. Rapuano

Quick reference and color atlases covering 5 sub-specialties in ophthalmology. Each book will cover the following areas: Epidemiology and Etiology; History Physical Examination; Differential Diagnosis;Laboratory and Special Examinations; Diagnosis; Prognosis;...



Coping With Glaucoma
by Edith Marks, Rita Mountauredes



GLAUCOMA: AN OPEN-WINDOW TO NEURODEGENERATION AND NEUROPROTECTION, Volume 173 (Progress in Brain Research)

Glaucoma is one of the main causes of blindness throughout the world. It is characterized by death of the retinal ganglion cells, which is associated with loss of the axons making up the optic nerve. Recent studies have demonstrated support for the classification of glaucoma as a degenerative disease of the central nervous system (CNS). The search for treatment modalities that are effective for...



Mechanisms of the Glaucomas: Disease Processes and Therapeutic Modalities

The mechanisms of the various forms of glaucoma were unknown at the outset of the twentieth century. Late in the twentieth century, two nascent areas of research were beginning to provide glimpses of what the twenty-first century held in store for the future of glaucoma: the mechanisms of glaucomatous optic neuropathy and the molecular basis of the glaucomas. In Mechanisms of the Glaucomas:...

© 2009 BrightSurf.com