At Collins Vision, we are committed to elevating lives by elevating vision. That commitment includes educating our patient family about the sight-stealing conditions that can affect their vision and investing in the expertise and technology to treat those conditions.
Did you know more than 3 million people in the United States have glaucoma? It’s the leading cause of irreversible blindness in people over the age of 60. The National Eye Institute projects this number will top 4.2 million by 2030; that’s a significant increase!
If glaucoma is a concern for you or someone you love, rest assured, the experts at Collins Vision are here for you with the latest techniques and technology to preserve your sight.
Advanced Glaucoma Treatment in Fort Myers and Naples
Glaucoma is a complex condition. For this reason, it’s important to choose a trusted and experienced doctor for your glaucoma management. As a board-certified ophthalmologist who sees patients in our Naples and Fort Myers offices, Dr. Jason Friedrichs has extensive experience in managing glaucoma.
There’s no cure for glaucoma, but treatment can often stop the damage and prevent further vision loss. The goal of glaucoma treatment at Collins Vision is to maintain your current level of vision and to prevent any further vision loss. Treatment will vary, depending on the type of glaucoma you have, the degree to which the condition has progressed, your underlying risk factors and other variables.
For some glaucoma patients, medication alone (eye drops) can be enough to control eye pressure. But drop regimens can be inconvenient, hard to manage and costly over time. Studies show that about 50 percent of glaucoma patients on drops discontinue use within six months (which can lead to disease progression). In rare cases, long term use of eye drops can even cause corneal damage.
When medication treatment alone fails to sufficiently reduce the pressure, or the cost or side effects become a burden, surgery is a great option. We’ve seen great success from glaucoma surgery over the years.
A New Day in Glaucoma Treatment
MIGS (minimally invasive glaucoma surgery) procedures lower eye pressure in a safe manner with rapid recovery and minimal restrictions. Instead of creating an artificial drain in the eye, they unclog the natural drainage system of the eye and enhance drainage.
Dr. Friedrichs is able to offer MIGS with a new platform called the OMNI® Glaucoma Treatment System. This incredible advancement combines two procedures known as trabeculotomy and vasodilation of Schlemm’s canal in one hand-held device without the need for additional incisions. In the past, these procedures had to be done as part of cataract surgery. Thanks to the new advancements in technology, they can now be done separately as an outpatient procedure with little to no downtime.
OMNI® Advanced Glaucoma Treatment Targets All Three Points of Resistance
In patients with primary open-angle glaucoma, identifying where blockage or resistance occurs within the conventional outflow pathway can be challenging. Targeting the trabecular meshwork alone, or isolating a single point, is not always enough to lower Intraocular Pressure IOP.
“With the Omni Surgical System, we are able to treat the three most common sites of resistance in the eye (trabecular meshwork, Schlemm’s canal and collector channels) all at once. This leading-edge technology allows us to perform two implant-free procedures targeting three points of resistance with one intelligent device.”
Dr. Jason Friedrichs
At Collins Vision, our experienced eye doctors can diagnose and treat your glaucoma safely and effectively. After careful evaluation of the type and severity of your glaucoma, age, lifestyle and other factors, we will recommend a treatment plan that is customized for your individual needs. Schedule an appointment today. We’d be honored to serve you.
