GLAUCOMA IMPLANT WITH VALVE
Surgical methods and related medical devices for treating glaucoma are disclosed. The method comprises trabecular bypass surgery, which involve bypassing diseased trabecular meshwork with the use of a seton implant. The seton implant is used to prevent a healing process known as filling in, which has a tendency to close surgically created openings in the trabecular meshwork. The surgical method and novel implant are addressed to the trabecular meshwork, which is a major site of resistance to outflow in glaucoma. In addition to bypassing the diseased trabecular meshwork at the level of the trabecular meshwork, existing outflow pathways are also used or restored. The seton implant is positioned through the trabecular meshwork so that an inlet end of the seton implant is exposed to the anterior chamber of the eye and an outlet end is positioned into fluid collection channels at about an exterior surface of the trabecular meshwork or up to the level of aqueous veins.
1 . An ocular implant for reducing intraocular pressure, comprising:
a proximal portion configured to be disposed within an anterior chamber of an eye;
a distal portion configured to be disposed within a physiologic outflow pathway of the eye;
at least one fluid pathway extending between the proximal and distal portions so as to drain aqueous humor from the anterior chamber to the physiologic outflow pathway; and
a valve disposed in at least one of the proximal and distal portions to control the flow of aqueous humor through the implant.
2 . The ocular implant of claim 1 , wherein the proximal and distal portions are skewed relative to each other.
3 . The ocular implant of claim 1 , wherein the distal portion includes at least one outlet.
4 . The ocular implant of claim 3 , wherein the outlet extends in a direction that is generally normal to at least a portion of the fluid pathway that extends through the proximal portion.
5 . A method for reducing intraocular pressure, comprising:
placing an implant in eye tissue so as to drain aqueous humor from an anterior chamber of an eye to a physiologic outflow pathway in the eye; and
controlling the flow of aqueous humor from the anterior chamber using a valve disposed within the implant.
6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein placing involves forming an incision in a cornea of the eye, introducing the implant into the anterior chamber through said incision, and advancing the implant through the anterior chamber to an insertion site in said eye tissue.
7 . The method of claim 5 , wherein controlling the flow of aqueous humor involves using a check valve.
8 . The method of claim 5 , wherein controlling the flow of aqueous humor involves using a slit valve.
9 . The method of claim 5 , wherein controlling the flow of aqueous humor involves using a one-way valve.
10 . A method for lowering intraocular pressure in an eye, comprising:
introducing a drainage implant into an anterior chamber of the eye;
advancing the implant from the anterior chamber into surrounding tissue such that the implant drains aqueous humor from the anterior chamber to another location in the eye to reduce intraocular pressure; and
using a valve in the implant to control flow through the implant.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the implant is advanced into tissue to a location positioning at least one outlet of the implant to drain into a physiologic outflow path.