How does iDose work for glaucoma?
iDose Glaucoma Treatment San Diego
Glaucoma is one of the most common causes of vision loss. This condition causes the pressure to rise inside the eye, which damages the structures of the eye. There are often no symptoms of glaucoma until vision loss occurs, so it’s important to get regular glaucoma screening, which is a standard part of your annual eye exam.
There’s no permanent cure for glaucoma, but we do have effective treatments that can help to control the pressure inside the eye and prevent vision loss. Many people use medications for glaucoma, which have traditionally been given in the form of eye drops. A newer option is to use implants like iDose, which are more convenient and effective than eye drops.
What is iDose?
iDose is an implant that’s designed to be placed into the eye. It’s so tiny that it’s difficult to see, and will almost never be noticed.
The iDose implant gradually releases a medication called travoprost into the eye. Travoprost is a type of medication called a prostaglandin analogue (PGA). These medications have been used for many years in the treatment of glaucoma, and can also be given as eye drops. They mimic natural substances inside the body known as prostaglandins, which are signaling molecules involved in many different functions throughout the body. In the eye, prostaglandins act to open up pathways that allow fluid to drain from the eye, and PGAs do the same thing.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of iDose?
PGAs can also be given as eye drops, which are used daily to control the pressure inside the eye. There are some advantages of using the iDose implant instead of eye drops.
With an implant, you don’t have to remember to take eye drops every day. Studies have shown that only about 20% of people consistently use their glaucoma eye drops every day, which can compromise the effectiveness of the treatment. iDose eliminates this issue. It’s also far more convenient to have an implant instead of eye drops, especially when traveling or being active.
An implant also releases the medication directly into the part of the eye where it’s designed to work, which helps to make it more effective. The medication is released continuously, instead of being taken just once a day. By ensuring that the medication is constantly present, an implant helps to keep eye pressure under better control.
At the same time, there are also some risks of iDose. Any surgical procedure, even a very minor one like the placement of iDose, carries a risk of infection. In addition, all PGAs, whether given as eye drops or in the form of an implant, can have side effects, including darkening of the iris or swelling or inflammation of the tissues of the eye. For each patient, these risks must be balanced against the significant risk of vision loss from leaving glaucoma untreated.
What is it like to get iDose placed?
The procedure for placing iDose is fairly quick, and can be done in our office. First, you’ll receive numbing eye drops to ensure your comfort throughout the procedure. Antibiotic eye drops are also used to help prevent infection.
A tiny incision is made at the edge of your cornea (the clear tissue at the front of the eye). A needle-like device is then used to place the iDose implant just in front of the iris (the colored part of the eye), at the edge of the cornea. The iDose implant has a tiny hook that attaches it to the sclera (the white part of the eye), which keeps it in place for the long term.
The entire procedure takes just a few minutes. It’s best to keep your head elevated for the next few days, as lying flat can increase swelling in the face and eye. Other than that, most people are able to return to normal activities within a day or two. The medication starts working immediately to reduce your eye pressure.
The iDose implant slowly releases medication into the eye. Some studies have shown that it can continue releasing medication for up to three years or even longer. When it’s no longer effective, the implant can be removed and replaced with a new one.
What’s the difference between iDose and Durysta?
Durysta implants are also intended to treat glaucoma. Although iDose and Durysta are somewhat similar, there are a few key differences between them.
Durysta implants contain a medication called bimatoprost, while iDose uses travoprost. Both medications are prostaglandin analogues, and they work in similar ways. There have been a few studies suggesting that bimatoprost might have a somewhat stronger effect than travoprost, although other studies have shown that the two medications are equally effective.
The other difference is that, unlike iDose implants, Durysta implants are not designed to be removed and replaced. With Durysta, the implants simply dissolve in the eye, and don’t need to be removed. However, Durysta is only intended to be placed once. With iDose, the implant can be removed after it’s out of medication, and can be replaced with a new one.
iDose Glaucoma Treatment San Diego
For many people with glaucoma, an iDose implant can help them to achieve better eye pressure control, which in turn greatly reduces the risk of vision loss. If you’re living with glaucoma and would like to consider an iDose implant, please contact our front desk staff to schedule a consultation with one of our experienced eye surgeons. They’ll be able to give you personalized advice on whether iDose would be a good option for you, as well as discussing your alternatives. If you decide to proceed with iDose, we’ll schedule your placement procedure.
