Canaloplasty (pronounced Kah-NAL-oh-plas-tee) is an advanced minimally invasive glaucoma treatment. As glaucoma can cause a permanent loss of vision, this procedure can provide patients with glaucoma a “peace of mind” not possible with use of glaucoma drops alone. Canaloplasty can reduce eye pressure by nearly 40%, and most glaucoma patients who have had Canaloplasty can cut their glaucoma drops in half. In some cases, Canaloplasty can even eliminate the need for Glaucoma drops.

Canaloplasty can be done on its own or at the same time as cataract surgery (in which case it is called “PhacoCanaloplasty”). It is a “non-penetrating” glaucoma surgery which means it does not require creation of a hole in the eye (fistula) nor does it result in a “bleb” as required with the more traditional glaucoma surgery called trabeculectomy (“trab” for short).

 It uses the eye’s natural drainage system

 It is a “non-penetrating” procedure that does not create a permanent fistula in the wall of the eye (What Does “Minimally Invasive” Really Mean?)

 It does not require a bleb (see why this is important What is the Big Deal About a Bleb, Anyway?)

 Provides long-term reduction in IOP (see three year results below)

 Reduces the need for medications to keep the IOP controlled

 Is an option for patients that cannot tolerate medications because of side effects or cost (Drops are Difficult to Use – No Surprise Here)

 Is a good option for those patients with open angle glaucoma who are not yet ready for the more invasive traditional surgeries such as trabeculectomy or tube shunts

 Is safer than traditional glaucoma surgeries (Canaloplasty vs Trabeculectomy)

Yes. Canaloplasty is safe. A study compared the results of Canaloplasty vs. trabeculectomy. Although there was no significant difference in the final intraocular pressures (IOPs) between the two surgeries (meaning both surgeries were equally good at lowering IOP), two differences were noted:

1. Canaloplasty patients experienced fewer side effects and complications compared to those who had trabeculectomy; and

2. the patients who had Canaloplasty had better vision than those patients who had trabeculectomy. For a more in-depth comparison, please read Canaloplasty vs Trabeculectomy.

Yes, Canaloplasty has proven to be effective.
 

• The number of medications required to keep the IOP under control was reduced by 53% … this sustained reduction in drops used means that the cost of canaloplasty could easily be paid just with the cost savings from using fewer medications to control IOP.

• The reduction in intraocular pressure (IOP) after canaloplasty was 34% – this was the lowest average IOP!

• The IOP in those patients who underwent Phacocanaloplasty™ was reduced by almost half (42%)!

• 88% of patients achieved IOP control without drops three years after canaloplasty!

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With a patient’s sight on the line, glaucoma is a race for time. For every increase in intraocular pressure (IOP), a person with glaucoma slowly inches his way towards blindness. A glaucoma specialist therefore must overtake this process by keeping her patient’s eye pressure level normal or to minimum levels. Fortunately, a wide range of glaucoma treatment options are  (more…) 

Glaucoma is a common disease of the eye which results from the dysfunction in the eye’s drainage system – the canal of Schlemm that leads to irreversible blindness. Clogging eventually causes an increase in the eye’s pressure which damages its delicate structures, especially the nerve responsible for vision (more…)

Canaloplasty (pronounced Kah-NAL-oh-plas-tee) is an advanced minimally invasive glaucoma treatment. As glaucoma can cause a permanent loss of vision, this procedure can provide patients with glaucoma a “peace of mind” not possible with use of glaucoma drops alone. Canaloplasty can reduce eye pressure by nearly 40%, and most glaucoma patients who have had (more…)

Eye medications have been used to treat glaucoma effectively for decades. Different glaucoma drugs have evolved from the miotics of the 60’s like pilocarpine, carbachol epinephrine and carbonic anhydrase inhibitors acetazolamide, dorzolamide, to beta blockers timolol, carteolol, betaxolol in the 80’s, and the most recent, prostaglandin analogs (more…)

• What is a Glaucoma Specialist?
• Where Can I Find a Glaucoma Specialists?
• 10 Things You Must Know Before Choosing Your Glaucoma Surgeon (eBook Download)

• Dr. David Richardson’s Glaucoma forum in Facebook
• Comprehensive list of Glaucoma Pages on Facebook
• Glaucoma.org | Glaucoma Support Groups