Revolutionary glaucoma treatment in CT

NORWALK, Conn. (WTNH) -- Doctors are using a very small stent, smaller than the date that's on the penny, implanting it with big results for patients dealing with an eye disease that can lead to loss of vision.

Glaucoma specialist Dr. Robert Noecker says, "the problem with glaucoma patients is their drain, which is this mesh work, it's either clogged or not pumping well enough and the pressure builds up."

The stent frees up fluid build up, lowering eye pressure.

"The problem with the fluid or the pressure is that if it's too high for that eye's nerve, the nerve basically gets squished or compromised and slowly starts to die off," Dr. Noecker said.
    
Ophthalmic Consultants of Connecticut is the first to offer i-Stent in New England.

Dr. Noecker says the revolutionary procedure is a game changer in treating glaucoma, which left untreated can lead to blindness.     

"It's like a little periscope. There's a part that goes into the drainage of the eye and then there's this little spout that the fluid exits the eye through."  
 
Anita Schoch had her right eye done three weeks ago.

She says, "it's a little blurry still, a little scratchy sometimes, it's getting better I think."
 
She is heading into the operating room to get her left eye done.  

"I could not see at night. I could not drive at night. The glare was very bad," Schoch said. 
 
The i-stent is for patients with mild to moderate glaucoma like Schoch.   
 
Dr. Noecker says, "minimal anesthesia and the patient walks in and walks out, they can use their eyes right away and their vision is not all blurred up."

The time spent in the operating room is around 20 minutes.

"Our goal is to get her off eye drops, certainly for the near term," says Dr. Noecker. "Hopefully this will be the last procedure that she needs or last treatment that she needs for her glaucoma."

Now Schoch is focused on living life.            

Already, newer versions of the i-Stent are in clinical trials, which could benefit patients with severe cases of glaucoma.

For more information, call 203-366-8000.