WINTER PARK, Fla. -- Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness in the United States. It happens when the optic nerve in the back of the eye gets damaged -- usually from elevated pressure inside the eye. Eye drops or surgery can reduce the pressure. Now, a new device is reducing surgery time and error.

A few months ago, Janelle Kelly nearly lost her peripheral vision because of glaucoma -- an eye disorder that Dr. Richard Cohn calls a plumbing problem.

"If the drain doesn't work as well as the faucet, then the pressure inside the eye goes up, and that damages the optic nerve," said Cohn, an ophthalmologist at Cohn Eye Center in Winter Park, Fla.

A tiny stainless steel shunt repairs the problem.

"The purpose of this is to actually allow a little bit of fluid to escape from the eye in patients when their eye pressure is too high," Cohn said.

That's how most glaucoma surgeries work, but because the shunt is so small, it has benefits over the others, including less margin for error and less operating time. According to Cohn, the traditional glaucoma surgeries can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour and a half to do. The express glaucoma shunt is only a 10-minute procedure.

He also says the results are encouraging.

"Studies have shown that patients who are using maybe two glaucoma medications, prior to surgery, might end up on just one or maybe no medications after surgery," he said.

Out of the 30 patients he's implanted, Cohn said it's worked in 28 -- including Kelly.

"I see fine. I can read," Kelly said. "I can whatever."

She also says she can't even feel her implant. "I don't even know it's there."

The implant costs about $800 and can be paid for by insurance. Potential side effects may include minimal bleeding, excessive healing or a small infection inside the eye. Cohn said these side effects are very rare. There may also be blurred vision for about a week or two after surgery.

If you would like more information, please contact:

Jim McGillis
Surgical Coordinator
Cohn Eye Center
1850 Greenwhich Avenue
Winter Park, FL 32789
(407) 647-7227 x106
http://www.cibavision.com

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