J10 — March 2009 — New Glaucoma Surgery

Intro: Glaucoma is an eye disease that slowly robs people of their vision, often without them even knowing it. It is one of the leading causes of blindness in the United States. Treatment to stop the progression of glaucoma includes drops for mild cases or surgery when the disease is more advanced. But now doctors at Mayo Clinic are using another, less-invasive procedure to stop glaucoma and save vision.

[SOUND OF BEN READING] TO BENJAMIN BURR, THE IDEAL AFTERNOON IS ONE SPENT READING ABOUT THE TITANIC WITH HIS WIFE VIRGINIA.

"I'M A BIT OF A TITANIC FREAK."

AND WHEN, DURING A ROUTINE EYE EXAM, DOCTORS DIAGNOSED BEN WITH GLAUCOMA, HE WORRIED ABOUT LOSING HIS VISION AND HIS ABILITY TO READ.

"MY GOD, I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'D DO WITHOUT IT."

LIKE MANY PEOPLE WITH GLAUCOMA, BENJAMIN HAD MINIMAL SYMPTOMS.

"A LITTLE BIT FOGGY AND BLURRY OUT IN THE PERIPHERY, THE OUTSIDE OF THE RIGHT EYE."

GLAUCOMA OCCURS WHEN THE EYE'S NATURAL DRAINAGE SYSTEM BECOMES CLOGGED AND FAILS TO DRAIN FLUID PROPERLY. THE FLUID BUILDS UP, CAUSING THE PRESSURE INSIDE YOUR EYE, CALLED THE INTRA OCULAR PRESSURE, TO RISE. THE ELEVATED PRESSURE CAN DAMAGE THE OPTIC NERVE, ALTERING YOUR VISION.

"USUALLY WE TREAT PEOPLE WITH MEDICATIONS, EYE DROPS. AND THEN IF THE EYE DROPS DON'T WORK WE USE LASERS AND TRY TO MODIFY THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM."

DR. RAJESH SHETTY SAYS ANOTHER OPTION FOR MORE SEVERE CASES IS SURGERY TO CONSTRUCT A NEW DRAINAGE SYSTEM. BUT SOMETIMES THESE PROCEDURES DON'T WORK. NOW, HE AND HIS COLLEAGUES AT MAYO CLINIC ARE PERFORMING A NEW OPERATION THAT'S MORE EFFECTIVE THAN DROPS ALONE, BUT LESS INVASIVE AND SAFER THAN STANDARD SURGERY.

DURING THE PROCEDURE DR. SHETTY NUMBS THE EYE AND MAKES A TINY INCISION INTO THE SIDE OF THE CORNEA. THEN HE INSERTS A PROBE THAT OPENS UP AND REMOVES A PORTION OF THE COVERING OF THE INTERNAL DRAINAGE SYSTEM. THIS DROPS THE INTRA OCULAR PRESSURE AND PREVENTS FURTHER DAMAGE TO THE OPTIC NERVE.

[SOUND OF BEN READING] BEFORE THE PROCEDURE BEN SAID HIS RIGHT EYE GREW TIRED AFTER 20 MINUTES OF READING.

"LAST NIGHT I READ AN HOUR AND 10 MINUTES WITHOUT ANY TROUBLE AT ALL."

FOR MEDICAL EDGE, I'M VIVIEN WILLIAMS.

Anchor tag:Dr. Shetty says this new surgery offers patients another option for treating glaucoma.

He recommends that all people be screened for Glaucoma by an ophthalmologist or optometrist starting at age 60. But if you have a family history of the disease or are African American or Latin American, you should be screened earlier. For more information on glaucoma, visit our Website at

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