Dr. Rom Kandavel of Colvard-Kandavel Eye Center in Los Angeles, California, shared insights from his presentation at the ASCRS meeting, focusing on the effectiveness of iStent inject in reducing intraocular pressure (IOP) and medication burden among patients.
During his presentation, Dr. Kandavel discussed a retrospective study involving approximately 100 patients who received the iStent inject. Among them, 34 patients had previously undergone surgeries such as laser peripheral iridotomy, selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT), or trabeculectomy.
The study revealed promising results at the 12-month mark, showing a significant trend of improvement in both IOP and medication burden. Patients who had undergone previous surgeries started with lower IOP but higher medication burdens. Conversely, those without prior surgeries began with higher IOP but fewer medications. However, both groups experienced a reduction in IOP, with the surgical group decreasing from an average of 15.85 to 13.2, and the non-surgical group from 17.12 to 13.84.
Moreover, while the reduction in medication burden was more pronounced in the surgical group, both groups achieved similar mean pressures at the 12-month mark. Additionally, around 35% of patients in both groups achieved medication-free treatment after receiving the iStent inject.
These findings suggest the potential benefits of using iStent inject in patients with a history of laser peripheral iridotomy, SLT, or trabeculectomy, providing valuable insights for clinical practice.
