A canaloplasty is a new treatment for glaucoma. If you or a loved one have glaucoma, you probably know that it should be treated as soon as possible because without treatment, it is sight-threatening.

What is Glaucoma?
Glaucoma is an overall name for a group of eye diseases that feature damage to the optic nerve. Because there are no early symptoms in the most common form of glaucoma (open-angle glaucoma), this eye disease can silently reduce your peripheral vision, narrowing your field of vision until one day you will finally notice the loss.

Glaucoma is usually related to the degree of pressure inside the eye, called intraocular pressure (IOP). Our eyes are filled with fluid that exerts outward pressure against the eyeball’s periphery. When fluid drainage does not keep up with fluid production, too much fluid remains inside the eye and puts too much pressure against the periphery.

Part of the eyeball periphery is the optic nerve, which leaves the eye near the center of the retina. This is your blind spot, as there are no light-sensitive cells here. The optic nerve is made up of about 1.2 million tiny fibers running from the light-sensitive cells in the retina. The retinal cells convert their image data to electrical energy and the nerve fibers carrying it converge at the eye’s blind spot, forming the optic nerve. This large nerve connects to the brain’s vision center.

When IOP is too high it causes damage to the optic nerve where it exits from the eye. The damage is irreversible, as these cells cannot regenerate themselves.

There are cases of glaucoma where the IOP is within normal range, but there is still damage to the optic nerve and loss of peripheral vision. Conversely, there are cases where the IOP is relatively high, but there is no damage to the optic nerve. Each person has a characteristic IOP level in each eye. If you are over the age of about 40, you should have your eyes checked for glaucoma, especially if you have any family history of it.

Glaucoma Treatments
Open-angle glaucoma is treated with special eyedrops that lower the IOP. For many people this is a good long-term treatment that manages their glaucoma and prevents any further vision loss. However, there are cases where it does not work well. Fluid continues to build up inside the eye and threaten vision.

Some alternatives have been surgeries to create a new drainage canal in the eye tissue (iris or the border between the cornea and sclera) to carry away the excess fluid. Some of these surgeries use a laser. In some procedures a tiny tube is implanted to disperse fluid.

Canaloplasty Simpler Than Glaucoma Surgeries
A Canaloplasty does not create a new drainage canal, but instead widens an existing one called Schlemm’s canal. For precision and accuracy, ultrasound provides your eye surgeon with clear, magnified images of your eye. A very small incision allows insertion of a microcatheter (tube) and through this a sterile material is injected. It is like a gel and it enlarges the diameter of the canal.

Then the microcatheter is removed and a little stitch is placed in the canal to keep it open. Now the eye’s fluid can drain more quickly, preventing any build-up inside the eye. The FDA has approved canaloplasty for glaucoma treatment.

Benefits of Canaloplasty
The Canaloplasty procedure has established an excellent track record of safely lowering the IOP by nearly 40 percent. This gives you the added benefits of:
•    Reduced or eliminated use of eyedrops, and the associated reduced cost
•    Less risk of complications than with traditional glaucoma surgeries, including reduced scarring risk
•    Fewer follow-up visits required

After having a canaloplasty, you will probably never have to have any glaucoma surgery and your IOP will remain within normal limits. The optic nerve will be safe from incurring damage and you will be able to preserve your vision and keep your active lifestyle.

If you would like to learn more about canaloplasty and whether it is a good option for you, please make an appointment with, Dr. Joseph Krug, MD our surgeon that preforms this procedure at Horizon Eye Care.

If you send an email to Horizon Eye Care they will be pleased to schedule a personal consultation for your with one of their highly-qualified ophthalmologists.