Glaukos Corporation
Ophthalmic medical technology company Glaukos Corporation recently announced the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) has approved its iStent® Trabecular Micro-Bypass Stent for use in conjunction with cataract surgery for the reduction of intraocular pressure (IOP) in adult patients diagnosed with mild to moderate open-angle glaucoma who are currently treated with ocular hypotensive medication.
Glaukos' iStent is reportedly the first-ever ab interno Micro-Invasive Glaucoma Surgery (MIGS) device approved for use in Japan. Packaged in a pre-loaded configuration, the iStent is inserted through a small corneal incision made during cataract surgery and placed into Schlemm’s canal. It is designed to restore the natural outflow pathways for aqueous humor and provide sustained IOP reduction. Clinical studies have demonstrated that inserting the iStent in combination with cataract surgery yields an overall safety profile and recovery rate similar to cataract surgery alone.
The iStent was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in June 2012 and is currently approved for sale in 27 countries worldwide.
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