Eye clinic Midland Eye, announces the success of its first Preserflo Microshunt glaucoma procedure. Midland Eye is based in Solihull, West Midlands. The clinic’s specialist consultant ophthalmologists offer a comprehensive service for the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of eye and vision concerns, including glaucoma.

Preserflo Microshunt is a relatively new treatment for glaucoma, and Midland Eye has been very happy with the success of the first surgery. The clinic is now offering the treatment to more patients over the coming months.

Glaucoma is a group of conditions that can be difficult to manage and is the most frequent cause of irreversible blindness worldwide. Glaucoma can cause vision loss and blindness by damaging the optic nerve, which is situated in the back of your eye.

The symptoms can start so slowly that you may not notice them, and there is no cure. However, you can find out whether you have glaucoma through an eye examination, and early treatment can often stop the damage and protect your vision.

There are many different types of glaucoma. The most common type in the UK and worldwide is primary open-angle glaucoma. This is where inner eye pressure (also called intraocular pressure) increases due to the right quantity of fluid being unable to drain from the eye. Traditionally, this has been treated with eye drops to help the drainage and surgery if that doesn’t work.

So, what’s different about the Preserflo Microshunt?

Firstly, this is a permanent treatment option for the management of glaucoma. It helps to drain excess fluid out of the eye and removes the inconvenience of applying drops several times daily. The procedure is less invasive than other surgeries and is faster to complete. It is also considered a safer procedure than other surgical treatments, with low post-operative intervention needs.

Essentially, the intervention works by one end of the MicroShunt (made from biocompatible, degradation-resistant material) being inserted in front of the iris, where the excess fluid builds up, and the other end is tucked under the clear membrane surrounding the eye. This aids in the drainage of excess eye fluid.

Mr Thomas Ressiniotis, the consultant ophthalmologist at Midland Eye who performed the clinic’s flagship treatment, said: “The surgery went extremely well. The pressure has been reduced, and the patient no longer needs eye drops. Midland Eye is expecting to perform many of these surgeries in the future, as many people are at risk of blindness from glaucoma, which can offer them fast, effective and safe relief from the symptoms.”

This is a relatively new procedure, having been around internationally for around three years and has been performed in the UK for about 18 months. As a new treatment to Midland Eye, the clinic and clinicians are delighted to be able to add this to their armoury in the battle against glaucoma and are looking forward to making a difference to many other patients over the coming years.