MIGS eye surgery featuring world’s smallest medical device now available
The Health Services Authority (HSA) has ensured that a new minimally invasive eye surgery is now available to patients at the Cayman Islands Hospital. It offers patients with glaucoma a significant reduction in risks previously associated with glaucoma surgical procedures as well as an increased likelihood of improved vision.
The new eye surgery, called the Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery, or MIGS, requires the use of tiny iStents. At 1 mm long, the iStent is the world’s smallest medical device. During the surgical procedure, a series of iStents are placed along the interior wall of the eye. This process reduces pressure on the eye by minimizing the amount of fluid buildup in this area. Each iStent features an opening that measures 120 microns, or approximately 0.12mm.
In 2016, the US Food and Drug Administration approved the use of the iStent. Since then, ophthalmologists all over the world have used the device, and it is gaining in popularity.
Before the existence of MIGS, a surgery called a trabeculectomy would be performed on patients. This surgical procedure carries high risks for complications and a success rate of only 70%. During a trabeculectomy, a surgeon cuts and removes a section of the eye. This process enables the buildup of fluids to reduce, thus easing the pressure on the eye that characterizes glaucoma.
MIGS will also benefit patients by allowing them to rely less on glaucoma medications to manage the eye disease. Because glaucoma has no cure, medications are often prescribed to help patients with their symptoms. MIGS has enabled some patients to come off their medications completely.
Prior to the arrival of MIGS to the Cayman Islands Hospital, many patients who required glaucoma surgery needed to travel off island in order to receive treatment. Thanks to MIGS, transfers like these are less frequent, which is especially fortunate in light of the travel restrictions and the general risks of travel linked to COVID-19. Dr. Ermanno Sceretti, a consultant ophthalmologist at the Lions Eye Clinic, has performed four MIGS operations in the Cayman Islands to date.
