Current opinion in ophthalmology: novel glaucoma devices in the pipeline

Adherence to chronic use of topical intraocular pressure (IOP) lowering medications is a fundamental barrier to successful, long-term control in patients suffering from glaucoma. This has fueled innovation to create new vehicles for drug administration, new drug formulations with enhanced bioavailability, and minimally invasive glaucoma surgeries (MIGS) with improved risk-benefit profiles to enhance sustained IOP control. The present article is an overview of novel devices in the pipeline.

Several new devices that promise to deliver sustained drug therapy and reduce dependence on daily patient adherence are currently being vetted through clinical trials. In addition, the pipeline for new MIGS devices that target sustained IOP control continues to grow.

Alternative drug delivery approaches and novel MIGS devices broaden the treatment options for patients with glaucoma. This will allow the clinician to customize treatment by selecting specific approaches based on each patient's individual needs and coexisting ocular pathologies. Additional comprehensive, large-scale, clinical studies will help define the role that these options hold in a constantly evolving treatment paradigm.