MIGS Glaucoma Treatment Minneapolis

On account of the amazing advancements in glaucoma management technologies over the past few years, millions of men and women with glaucoma have a very wide range of new options to manage their disease. Most of these treatments fit into the category of MIGS, or minimally invasive glaucoma surgery.

About MIGS

At Chu Vision Institute, we are glad to provide MIGS procedures, as well as numerous other new laser therapies for patients in Minneapolis. MIGS techniques are done with minuscule surgical incisions and tools to lessen internal eye pressure to stop or delay more injury to the optical nerve. In addition, MIGS can be done at most stages of glaucoma. They generally have fewer post-procedure complications, and the majority of glaucoma specialists believe they are safer overall than trabeculectomies (traditional glaucoma surgery). Contact our Bloomington, MN practice today to plan your MIGS exam with board-certified ophthalmologist Dr. Ralph Chu.

Best Candidates For MIGS

Dr. Chu is highly qualified and experienced in diagnosing and treating glaucoma. When you come in for your consultation, he will perform an eye exam to determine whether you are a good candidate for MIGS or laser treatment. You are a likely candidate if you:

Are over 18 years old
Need to manage both glaucoma and cataracts
Don’t have a high risk of serious progression
Haven’t been able to control your internal eye pressure with prescription eye drops
Are living with mild to moderate glaucoma

Since glaucoma can vary in stage and severity based on each individual, Dr. Chu will design a specialized treatment plan for your specific glaucoma condition.

Start My Self-Test Now

Next Steps Schedule your life-changing experience now!

What To Expect With MIGS

At Chu Vision Institute, our highly knowledgeable ophthalmology team can provide MIGS and laser procedures for our glaucoma patients. After we have decided that someone is a great candidate for MIGS, we can go over each of their available options. We specialize in several MIGS treatments, and each one is carried out via the most advanced technology and tools.

iStent® – Your surgeon will implant this micro-bypass medical device into your eye to create a new pathway for built-up aqueous fluid. By unclogging the eye’s natural drainage system, intraocular pressure is reduced.
Hydrus Microstent – This tiny, flexible device measuring about the size of an eyelash is placed into a precise location in the Schlemm’s canal to expand the eye’s fluid channel. This promotes the flow of eye fluid to lower intraocular pressure.
SLT – With selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT), laser light energy is applied to the eye’s drainage tissue to promote the flow and circulation of aqueous fluid to help lessen the pressure in the eye.
ECP – Endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation (ECP) is a minimally invasive treatment that uses a laser to treat the ciliary body of the eye, reducing fluid production as a means to lower intraocular pressure.

Generally, MIGS treatments are conducted as outpatient procedures and are over with fairly quickly. Several MIGS procedures only last about 15 minutes.

Expected Results With MIGS

Since these advanced techniques are minimally invasive, the healing downtime is relatively less compared with traditional glaucoma surgery. Most patients get back to work and their usual activities within several days. After the procedure is complete, we thoroughly detail each patient’s aftercare guidelines for taking care of their eyes during the healing process. We also require all MIGS patients to come back for a series of critical follow-up appointments at Chu Vision Institute so we can carefully monitor their internal eye pressure over the course of the healing process.

Advanced Glaucoma Management

A decade ago, patients experiencing advanced glaucoma only had one option for treatment. However, minimally invasive glaucoma surgery and laser surgeries now allow eye surgeons to conduct a variety of advanced techniques to help patients manage their glaucoma. Contact Chu Vision Institute in Minneapolis, MN to ask about a MIGS evaluation with Dr. Chu to safely and quickly control your internal eye pressure.

Board-certified ophthalmologist Dr. Ralph Chu is a fellowship-trained corneal specialist and a nationally recognized leader in refractive and cataract procedures. His specialty areas include cataract, LASIK, cornea, and minimally invasive glaucoma surgeries for patients in the Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Twin Cities areas.