Xen Implant

Primary open angle glaucoma is the most common form of glaucoma. With open angle glaucoma, the drainage system of the eye becomes clogged, which leads to less drainage of fluid, causing eye pressure to increase. If the eye pressure becomes too high for your eye, it damages your optic nerve causing defects in your visual field.

One of the surgical treatments for glaucoma is Xen Gel Stent

Xen Gel Stent is an implant that is designed to lower eye pressure by creating a small channel in your eye to drain fluid. It is very small, about the size of an eyelash and is placed under the conjunctiva, which is the clear membrane that covers the white part of your eye.

You will not be able to see the Xen stent after it is placed and it can remain in your eye permanently.

Having a Xen Gel Stent does not mean you can not have any other lasers or surgeries to treat your glaucoma, or that you can not use drops after the surgery. These are reasons that Xen stents are a good option for patients to have.

The Stent is placed in your eye in the operating room and the surgery does not take long. We will see you in the office the day after your surgery and 1 week after your surgery to check on your healing and eye pressure.

You will have two prescription eye drops that start before your surgery that will be sent to your pharmacy and you will be given instructions on how to use them before your surgery.

We will ask that you discontinue any over the counter blood thinners, such as Cod Liver Oil, Flax Seed Oil, and Aspirin for 5 days before your surgery. If your primary care doctor feels that it is safe for you to stop any prescription blood thinners, this should also be done before your surgery. If it is not safe for you to stop them, then you can continue them.

Having a Xen Gel Stent does not mean your glaucoma is cured or that you won’t need any other treatments such as drops, lasers, or surgery in the future.

Please discuss any questions or concerns you have about Xen Gel Stent with your ophthalmologist before your procedure.