The iDose uses an anchoring mechanism that holds it in place in the
trabecular meshwork, where it elutes the common glaucoma medication
Travatan (travoprost). "It sits in the anterior chamber angle and releases
medicine over a period of 1 to 3 years," says Dr. Swan. "So, patients
don't have to put drops in their eyes every day or multiple times a day."
The implanting procedure is straightforward and takes about 5 min-
utes, says Dr. Swan. "You make a small incision, place some viscoelas-
tic or gel inside the eye, use a little prism to be able to visualize the
angle, place the implant, and clear out the gel."
Eliminating the need for compliance, while important, isn't the only
benefit, he says. "We're learning more and more that the topical drops
we place on the eye, which we generally think of as benign, actually
cause a lot of ocular surface disease, as well as issues with dryness,
redness and irritation. And when you're talking about a chronic dis-
ease, where you might use drops for 20, 30 or even 40 years, it can
accumulate over time and cause significant issues. We don't expect to
see that ocular surface disease with an intracameral delivery device."
M A R C H 2 0 1 9 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y. N E T • 9 5
Yutiq (EyePoint Pharmaceuticals)
Another recently approved implant is for the less common — but
often more costly — posterior segment non-infectious uveitis.
"[Uveitis] is a condition that often occurs in young, working-age
people, and it can become a real impediment to their most productive
years," says David Eichenbaum, MD, the director of clinical research
and a partner at Retina-Vitreous Associates of Florida.
The Yutiq (fluocinolone acetonide intravitreal implant) 0.18 mg
implant is a non-bio-erodible intravitreal micro-insert that releases
small doses of fluocinolone acetonide over the course of 36 months.
A long-acting treatment that's safe and effective is a far preferable
alternative to the frequent ocular and peri-ocular injections and sys-
