As many as 3 million Americans suffer from glaucoma. This is a serious eye condition that can cause permanent and irreversible vision loss. Anyone of any age can have glaucoma, but it is estimated that at least half of people with glaucoma are unaware of their condition.

Extenuating risk factors for glaucoma include:

• Diabetes
• Eye injuries
• Steroid / cortisone use
• High eye pressure
• African heritage
• 45 years of age or older, without a history of annual eye exams
• Nearsightedness
• Glaucoma in your family medical history

If you suffer from mild to moderate glaucoma, the good news is that there are treatments available. Talk to our Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex eye doctors at Key-Whitman Eye Center about the Hydrus or iStent Inject. This exciting, advanced glaucoma treatment technology works to unclog the eye’s natural drainage system, thus relieving damaging pressure within the eye. If you are scheduled for cataract surgery and a sufferer of open-angle glaucoma, you may be able to manage your glaucoma while treating cataracts using one of these state-of-the-art glaucoma treatments.

What Is a M.I.G.?

M.I.G.s are the world’s smallest medical devices. They are 20,000 times smaller than the intraocular lens (IOL) your surgeon will be implanting in your eye as part of your cataract procedure.

Glaucoma is a condition that occurs when the eye’s natural draining system is congested and blocked. This leads to high pressure within the eye that can actually cause serious, irreversible vision loss over time. M.I.Gs are designed to release that pressure by breaking the blockage. The tiny device is implanted during the cataract surgery and works to permanently open the blockage creating a path for flow, allowing pressure release. Consult Our Dallas / Fort Worth Metroplex Ophthalmologists.

Precautions

Neither the Hydrus nor iStent Inject (M.I.G.) is available to patients with severe glaucoma in Dallas. We will discuss the available options and alternatives with you as well as any potential risks or side effects. In some cases, the implantation of the M.I.G. is not successful. After surgery, it is important to follow the instructions of your eye doctor and maintain follow-up visits to monitor your eye pressure and watch for potential adverse reactions to the M.I.G., including but not limited to edema and changes in your vision.

Healing may take up to three months, and it is not uncommon for your pressures and your vision to fluctuate during this time. Some patients can reduce their use of glaucoma medicated eye drops. We ask that you never stop using your drops unless your eye doctor has instructed you to do so.