New devices in glaucoma surgery

Abstract

Traditional glaucoma drainage devices are made of a tube-and-plate concept that creates an alternate pathway for aqueous humor drainage by channeling the fluid from the anterior chamber through a tube to an equatorial plate that promotes bleb formation. Reactive fibrosis results in the long-term failure of these devices. This led to an explosion of new devices that divert the aqueous into different locations, including the limbal subconjunctival space, the suprachoridal space and Schlemm’s canal. This review outlines the design, surgical success and complications associated with these devices being used in glaucoma surgeries.