Canaloplasty is a modern, surgical method of glaucoma treatment. Its purpose is to reduce the pressure inside the eyeball, and thus - save the optic nerve from further damage and atrophy, and consequently from blindness. What is canaloplasty? What are the indications and contraindications for the operation? How is canaloplasty better than other glaucoma treatments?

Canaloplastyis a modern methodtreating glaucoma- an eye disease in which glaucomatous neuropathy occurs, i.e. damage and gradual atrophy of the optic nerve and even to irreversible blindness. The main cause of this is the increase in intraocular pressure, which is caused by the closure of the outflow of aqueous humor from the eye. The goal of canaloplasty is to restore the natural outflow of the aqueous humor, and thus reduce the pressure in the eyeball.

Canaloplasty - indications

Canaloplasty is recommended in people with glaucoma:

  • originally open angle
  • dye
  • in the pseudoexfoliation team
  • normal or low pressure

Early or Intermediate.

In addition, canaloplasty can also be performed when drops or other treatments other than surgery are not suitable for the patient (e.g. due to side effects of using eye drops).

What you don't know about glaucoma? Check it out!

Canaloplasty - contraindications

Canaloplasty is not performed on patients with:

  • narrow angle of infiltration
  • neovascular glaucoma
  • recession of the iridocorneal angle
  • iris plateau
  • in whom previously performed surgical procedures prevent the use of the microcatheter

Canaloplasty - what is the operation?

Canaloplasty consists in inserting nylon threads into Schlemm's canal (the main drainage path of the eye fluid) through a microcatheter, which tighten its walls. In this way, the most important way of outflow of aqueous humor from the eye is rebuilt.

If the patient, apart from glaucoma, also suffers from cataracts, cataracts are also removed during canaloplasty.

After the procedure, the patient should follow the recommendations regarding the use of eye dropsand lead a sparing lifestyle (i.e. avoid physical exertion, bending, lifting heavy things, etc., especially during the first month after surgery).

Canaloplasty - advantages

Canaloplasty belongs to the so-called non-penetrating procedures, i.e. those that do not open the inside of the eyeball. Thanks to this, the procedure is less invasive. Therefore, canaloplasty reduces the risk of postoperative complications, as well as the number of visits necessary after the procedure.

In addition, during canaloplasty, the so-called filtration bubble, and thus - after the surgery, you do not need to perform additional interventions, e.g. subconjunctival injections or puncture the filter pad.

This will be useful to you

Canaloplasty is one of the most modern surgical methods of glaucoma treatment. The first such procedure in the world was performed in 2004 in the USA. In Poland, canaloplasty was first performed at the Ophthalmology Clinic of the Military Medical Institute at the turn of 2009 and 2010. Since January 2011, this method is regularly carried out in this facility under the contract with the National He alth Fund. In private clinics, the operation costs from 7,000. PLN.

Source: Military Institute of Medicine

Glaucoma - treatments for glaucoma

Depending on the severity of the disease, glaucoma can be treated with different methods. Starting from specially dedicated sets of drops to operating methods. What treatment method has the best results? When do we use non-surgical treatment and when is surgery necessary? Our expert, prof. Iwona Grabska-Liberek, head of the department of ophthalmology at the Clinical Hospital W. Orłowski in Warsaw.

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Eye diseases and vision disorders