Glaucoma: the silent thief of vision

With glaucoma being one of the leading causes of blindness in the USA and worldwide, it’s important to know all your treatment options to slow down the progression of this sight threatening disease.

What are my options for open angle glaucoma treatment?

If you’ve tried medication to treat your open angle glaucoma or perhaps even gone through previous surgery without success, there is still hope. The XEN gel stent for glaucoma can significantly reduce or sometimes even eliminate the need for glaucoma eye drops and restore the pressure in your eyes to safer levels. It’s the latest in minimally invasive open angle glaucoma treatment, approved by the FDA in 2016 and available as an outpatient procedure at Oday Alsheikh MD Braverman-Terry-OEI Associates.

How does XEN gel stent treatment work?

The XEN gel stent is a very small tube, in fact it is no bigger than an eyelash! During a minor, outpatient surgical procedure, the stent is placed into the eye via a small incision made on the surface. The incision is self-sealing, so no stitches are required. The stent is positioned into the drainage site to improve the drainage of fluid that otherwise builds up in the eye leading to symptoms of glaucoma.

What happens after the treatment?

The XEN gel stent stays in your eye permanently and starts to work immediately to lower the pressure within your eye. After glaucoma stent surgery you will need time to recover, so avoid any strenuous activities and try not to rub your eyes over the area where the stent has been inserted, to aid recovery.

With the caring and expert team of San Antonio Eye Professionals at Dr Stuart Terry, you can rest easy knowing that your care doesn’t just end with surgery. Our experienced eye doctors in San Antonio will make sure they see you for several follow-up appointments to check you are recovering well and that your stent is working effectively. If any further interventions are needed, we’ll advise you on what needs to be done and with your approval, will ensure it is carried out as soon as possible.

For some patients, once the stent is in place, they no longer need to use glaucoma eye drops, while for others, there is a significant reduction in how often they need to use them. We’ll carefully monitor you through your follow-up appointments, so you’ll know exactly where you stand and what you’ll need to do to best manage your glaucoma going forward.

Is glaucoma stent surgery right for you?

At Dr Stuart Terry, we’ll carefully consider all the options for your particular circumstances and give you our honest opinion on whether the XEN gel stent is the best course of action for you. We’ll talk you through exactly what to expect during and after surgery, so you can make a fully informed decision.

To find out whether treatment with the XEN gel stent for glaucoma is for you and covered by your insurance provider, why not get in touch with our friendly team at Dr Stuart Terry today?