Nagpur: Indian doctors learning to use micro-incision glaucoma surgery

Nagpur: New treatment modalities are making inroads into the treatment and management of glaucoma, a disease which causing loss of vision due to damage to optic nerve (nerve supplying the eye).

One of these is a surgical intervention called as micro-incision glaucoma surgery (MIGS). It is supposed to be the latest technique in treatment of glaucoma. But in India those doctors who are either learning or have learnt the technique find it very expensive at present.

Speaking to TOI during a continuing medical education programme (CME), Nagpur Academy of Ophthalmology (NAO) president Dr Anant Gade told TOI that this surgery is best suited for patients in whom it is difficult to control the eye pressure. It is a procedure or technique that is available at only limited centres in city but it could be the future of glaucoma surgery. But at present is a very expensive process. In this technique stents can be put into the eye. But it drastically reduces the rehabilitative time for the patient.

Dr Vinay Nangia, senior ophthalmic surgeon and a glaucoma expert said that it will be some time before this technique is adopted by glaucoma experts. “Classically doctors still prefer the conventional method of glaucoma surgery as this technique too is also about two decades old. But MIGS is the most in-thing in glaucoma surgery,” he said.

Treatment of glaucoma has developed a lot in past few years. It is now possible to measure the thickness of the retinal nerve fibre layer. Earlier an ophthalmologist treated glaucoma based on the appearance of optic disc and visual field. Techniques like the OCT or optical coherence tomography has made the diagnosis, management and treatment of glaucoma simpler and more effective.