Hydrus Microstent Specialist

What is the Hydrus Microstent?

The Hydrus Microstent is a revolutionary new therapy used during cataract surgery to help manage your glaucoma. It has been proven in global clinical trials to lower eye pressure, which resulted in a reduction of glaucoma medicine and, in some patients, eliminated the need for medication.

• 77% of Hydrus Microstent patients saw a significant reduction in eye pressure compared to cataract surgery alone
• 78% of all Hydrus Microstent patients were drop free at 2 years compared to cataract surgery alone

Roughly the size of an eyelash, the highly flexible Hydrus Microstent is placed by a surgeon during cataract surgery using microscopic incisions. This less invasive approach allows for fewer complications and faster healing times than traditional glaucoma surgery.

How does the Hydrus Microstent reduce eye pressure?

The Hydrus Microstent reduces eye pressure in 3 ways:

• Enhancing aqueous outflow: Hydrus Microstent is placed in Schlemm’s canal, a part of the drainage system of the eye. Fluid then flows through the Hydrus Microstent and into the eye’s natural outflow channel to reduce eye pressure.
• Expanding the eye’s natural fluid pathway: Hydrus Microstent delicately expands Schlemm’s canal, allowing for enhanced flow through the eye’s drainage system.
• Reducing eye pressure: Hydrus Microstent spans a full 90 ̊ within the eye. This coverage ensures that fluid reaches the eye’s drainage system, which carries fluid from Schlemm’s canal to the body’s circulatory system and allows pressure in the eye to be lowered

Who are candidates for this procedure? 

The Hydrus Microstent is indicated for use in conjunction with cataract surgery to treat adult patients who have mild to moderate primary open angle glaucoma. Your doctor can provide you with additional information to determine if you may be a candidate.

What can patients expect during and after the procedure?

The Hydrus Microstent is an outpatient procedure designed to be quick and minimally invasive for the patient.  Typically performed using topical anesthesia, the Hydrus Microstent is implanted in conjunction with cataract surgery.  Patients will be able to go home the same day, following the procedure. Patients will not be able to see or feel the tiny device in the eye

What are the alternative treatment options for glaucoma?

Current therapies include prescription eye drops, laser therapy, and surgery. The advent of minimally invasive glaucoma devices, such as the Hydrus Microstent, offer a new solution designed to safely and effectively reduce eye pressure and reliance on medical eye drops.

When does the procedure start to work for patients after surgery?

Although patients will not be able to feel the Hydrus Microstent once its implanted, patients will know soon how well the device is working.  In the weeks following the procedure, your doctor will test your IOP to determine if the pressure in your eye has been adequately lowered.