Dr. Raul Peña Offers Glaucoma Treatments and More at his McAllen and Harlingen Locations.

Glaucoma Treatments

GLAUCKOS iStent

iStent® Trabecular Micro-Bypass: add an exciting glaucoma technology to your cataract surgery. Technology has always played an important role in eye care. Today, almost every aspect of vision is connected to a product or procedure that wasn’t available even ten short years ago. The cataract surgery you are scheduled for is a good example of how innovations can make a difference. Every aspect of it utilizes recently developed technology that will help us improve your vision. Today, this includes managing your mild-to-moderate open-angle glaucoma: because now we are able to add another step to your cataract surgery that allows you to treat your open-angle glaucoma in a completely new way. This is important because once diagnosed, you and most patients like you will spend the rest of your lives putting one, two or even three different kinds of drops in every day. Unfortunately, all of these drops will not only be inconvenient, but potentially very expensive.The iStent Trabecular Micro-Bypass Stent is designed to reduce your eye pressure and you can have it done at the same time you have cataract surgery.

iStent: the world’s smallest medical implant delivers big results in mild-to-moderate open-angle glaucoma.

While mild-to-moderate open-angle glaucoma is very common, many people are unaware of their condition, especially in the early stages, when their vision may be unaffected. In many people, open-angle glaucoma is characterized by an increase in the intraocular pressure (IOP) of your eye. This pressure is caused by the buildup of fluid within the eye. Too much fluid raises pressure, which can cause the gradual loss of vision. And while glaucoma moves slowly, its damage is irreparable. The world’s tiniest medical device—iStent—is 20,000 times smaller than the intraocular lenses (IOL) used in your cataract surgery. But the size of iStent is only part of its story. By increasing the eye’s ability to drain fluid, this technology is designed to reduce the pressure in your eye.  In a U.S. clinical study, 68% of glaucoma patients who received iStent remained medication free at 12 months while sustaining a target IOP of ≤ 21 mm Hg vs. only 50% of patients who underwent cataract surgery alone.

Glaucoma Surgery

The purpose of glaucoma surgery, whether it involves laser treatments or filtering microsurgery, is to reduce the intraocular pressure. The type and severity of your glaucoma and the health of your eyes will determine the course of treatment that Dr. Peña recommends. During laser surgery, a tiny beam of light is used to help drain the trabecular meshwork, the eye’s drainage system, and reduce pressure in order to ease glaucoma symptoms. Dr. Peña may also recommend filtering microsurgery. This type of surgery utilizes a small surgical tool in order to create a drainage hole for intraocular fluids. 

Implantable Collamer Lens (ICL)

The Visian ICL is one of the latest technological advancements in vision correction technology. It is able to treat patients with thin corneas, dry eyes, and patients with low to extremely high refractive errors by changing your vision, not your eye. The ICL is implanted inside the eye, between the iris and the natural lens in a quick and painless 15 minute outpatient procedure.

Clear Lens Exchange 

Clear Lens Exchange offers the possibility of independence from glasses, bifocals, and contact lenses. It involves replacing the natural lens of your eye with an IOL (Intraocular Lens Implant.) It is essentially the same as cataract surgery without having a cataract.

Ocular Allergy Testing

If you suffer from watery, itchy, scratchy, and/or dry eyes it could mean you are suffering from ocular allergies. A new, innovate test offered at Peña Eye Institute can help identify the cause, develop a treatment plan, and help ease your suffering. This painless, FDA approved test is administered in three minutes and read in ten. Many times ocular allergies can be relieved with simple lifestyle changes-such as switching out your pillow, avoiding certain plants, etc. Once we know the cause of the irritation, a preventative and effective treatment plan can be customized for you.  

Dr. Raul Peña and his staff are here to help. If you would like to schedule a consultation to discuss any of the procedures offered at the Peña Eye Institute contact Dr. Peña today.