iDose: The Next Step in Glaucoma Management

When you have a chronic condition, your treatment can quickly become a part of your regular routine. However, some treatments can be easily forgotten due to a busy schedule or a momentary lapse in memory.

Your glaucoma care is no exception. Without regularly taking your prescription eye drops, your condition can progress, leading to significant vision loss and discomfort. But what if there were a treatment method that could administer the medication for you without daily reminders?

How do glaucoma eye drops work?

Glaucoma increases pressure inside the eye and damages the optic nerve, leading to progressive vision loss. Your eye doctor may prescribe medications such as prostaglandins or beta blockers that lower eye pressure and help slow the progression of the disease.

While this is an effective option for glaucoma management, it does require you to stay on top of your regular dosing schedule.

What is the iDose?

Remembering to take your medication each day can be difficult, especially as you get older. In recent years, the FDA approved a new treatment option that simplifies glaucoma care: the iDose TR.

This FDA-approved treatment is a small implant inserted into the eye that delivers continuous doses of the glaucoma medication travoprost, eliminating the need for daily eye drops.

What are the benefits of iDose?

Patients who undergo the iDose TR implant can expect:

• Reduced dependence on daily eye drops
• 24/7 medication delivery
• Up to two years of eye pressure control

Who are good candidates for iDose?

Ideal candidates are patients with mild to moderate open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension who experience eye irritation from daily eye drops.

What are other methods of treating glaucoma?

That said, iDose may not be suitable for every patient, including those with preexisting corneal conditions or allergies to travoprost.

Fortunately, glaucoma can still be effectively managed through other treatment options, including:

• Minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS): Increases fluid drainage in the eye
• Selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT):
• Uses low-energy laser light to improve fluid drainage and reduce eye pressure
• Tube shunts: Channels excessive eye fluid into an external reservoir placed in the eye

How can I find out if iDose is right for me?

Dr. Shobit Rastogi at CEENTA Mooresville offers this innovative glaucoma treatment and is excited to help patients achieve better outcomes.

To find out whether you're a candidate for the iDose TR implant, schedule your next glaucoma appointment with Dr. Rastogi online or through myCEENTAchart.

This blog is for informational purposes only. For specific medical questions, please consult your physician.