Utah Eye Surgeons Use Smallest FDA-Approved Treatment for Cataracts and Glaucoma

SALT LAKE CITY, UT--(Marketwire - Nov 13, 2012) - Dr. Robert J. Cionni, MD of The Eye Institute of Utah, a center for LASIK and cataract surgery in Salt Lake City, announced he is providing the iStent® Trabecular Micro-Bypass Stent as a treatment option to reduce eye pressure for patients with both cataracts and glaucoma. He is the first doctor in Utah to perform this procedure.

The iStent® is FDA-approved for use in conjunction with cataract surgery to reduce eye pressure in adult patients with mild-to-moderate open-angle glaucoma currently being treated with glaucoma medicine. Dr. Cionni says clinical trials have shown the iStent® safely reduces eye pressure, which is the primary cause of open-angle glaucoma.

"This is great news for people who have both cataract and glaucoma and are using eye drops to control their eye pressure," says Dr. Cionni. "It is common that patients forget to use these eye drops, because they have to be administered multiple times a day over a long period of time. When the drops are not taken as prescribed, they become less effective in treating glaucoma. They can also be expensive. The iStent® can help to control the eye's intraocular pressure and may allow the patient to reduce the amount of drops needed for glaucoma control. Some may not need prescribed drops at all. However it is still important to have a regular eye exam to ensure healthy levels of pressure."

The iStent® is the smallest medical device ever approved by the FDA and is placed in a patient's eye during cataract surgery. The Salt Lake City cataract surgeon went on to say, "It is so small the patient is unable to see or feel it after the procedure is done. Although the patient won't even know the iStent® is there, it will be working to help reduce their eye pressure." Dr. Cionni also says that implanting the iStent® does not significantly extend the length of time the patient spends in surgery and has a similar safety profile to cataract surgery alone.

Studies have shown that more than 90% of patients do not comply with their ocular medication dosing regimens and nearly 50% discontinue taking their medications within 6 months of the iStent® procedure. Dr. Cionni cautions that, "This can be a serious problem. When pressure in the eye is out of control, it can increase the risk for permanent vision loss. I consider the iStent® an important advancement in protecting against vision loss for my glaucoma patients. The iStent® is the first device of its kind and was available first at the Eye Institute of Utah due to our reputation for providing comprehensive eye care."

About The Eye Institute of Utah

Dr. Robert Cionni and The Eye Institute of Utah specialize in a range of eye care procedures designed to improve vision, including cataract intraocular lens (IOL) implant surgery, cataract surgery, and refractive surgeries. Doctors with the practice also care for and treat general ophthalmology needs including glaucoma, dry eye, retina macular degeneration, and corneal transplantation. Established in 1980 as the first and largest office-based eye surgical center in Utah, The Eye Institute of Utah is comprised of a team of surgical, clinical, and office administrative professionals with years of experience performing LASIK surgery in Salt Lake City and other vision correction procedures.

Located at 755 East 3900 South in Salt Lake City, UT 84107, The Eye Institute of Utah can be reached at (800) 760-4171. The practice can also be contacted online via the websites theeyeinstitute.com or facebook.com/theeyeinstitute.