A woman from Britain was the first patient to undergo a ground-breaking glaucoma surgery intended on halting the imminent tread in the direction of blinding eye condition, glaucoma.
The 66-year-old, momma of six, Mrs. Mary McCall hailing from Belfast was facing a gradual vision loss due to glaucoma which is accountable for causing sightlessness in over sixty-seven million individuals globally.
Eye doctors from the Cathedral Eye Clinic located in Belfast affixed a miniature tube device in the eye of McCall.
The eye implant dubbed as ‘iStent’ is a small titanium piece weighing around sixty micrograms is believed to be the tiniest medical piece of device to be embedded inside the body of humans.
Mode of Functioning of the iStent Implant Glaucoma Surgery
Glaucoma is an eye disease that causes fluid accruement in the frontal portion of the eye. In case this condition is not treated then it could be the reason for lasting blindness.
The iStent is a mini tube-shaped device similar to a rice granule that is embedded at the iris base for facilitating fluid seepage which assists in relieving eye pressure from a delicate area at the rear of the eye that is causal to glaucoma.
Consulting surgeon Colin Willoughby from the Cathedral Eye Clinic proudly elucidated the finer points of this innovatory surgical procedure. He stated that this is a huge advancement in the field of glaucoma treatment and holds promise in being a rescuer of eye sight for scores of sufferers across the globe. He further added that McCall would also be undergoing the brief fifteen minute lasting procedure in her other eye as well.
Willoughby stated that they presently had ample time in assessing McCall and they are pleased with the outcomes. He added that the patient is overjoyed which is more important and that they are scheduling the therapy for the other eye as well in the near future.
Director, Cathedral Eye Clinic, Mr. Andrew Spence stated that this progress is a radical move ahead towards treating glaucoma, a condition that medical science has been encountering since long and which continues to have no identified treatment.
Mr. Spence stated that the iStent implant glaucoma surgery halts the condition from advancing and possesses the potential to salvage vision in several patients.
Speaking about the entire experience, McCall was ecstatic about how the procedure has been life-changing and put a stop to her deteriorating eye sight.
McCall was all praises for Mr. Willoughby and spoke about how short her hospital stay was wherein she was admitted at dawn to the hospital was back home by lunchtime. Earlier McCall was prescribed 3 varied eye drops to be used in the mornings and 2 others during the night. But now she is hopeful that the procedure would help in getting good riddance from this unending cycle for good.
