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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New Glaucoma Treatment Gives Patients Options
Beyond Costly Medications or Surgery
Irvine, Calif. (August XX, 200X) – [Dr. xxxx] of [City], [State] is one of the early practitioners in the
United States performing Canaloplasty, an exciting new treatment that utilizes a microcatheter to give
ophthalmologists and their patients hope of managing glaucoma without traditional surgery or
medications. And a recent international, multicenter clinical study has demonstrated Canaloplasty’s
effectiveness in treating glaucoma by reducing intraocular pressure (IOP).
According to [Dr. xxxx], “For decades, eye surgeons have recognized that the ideal solution to glaucoma
would revitalize the eye’s aqueous outflow and maintain healthy tissue. Thanks to the development of
microcatheters and imaging technology small enough to work in the eye, Canaloplasty is showing
potential to revolutionize the way we treat glaucoma.”
Glaucoma is a progressive disease of the eye for which there is no cure. The disease is caused when the
natural fluid channels in the eye become blocked or clogged. These clogged channels result in increased
intraocular pressure which causes permanent damage to the optic nerve. The optic nerve is essential for
vision because it is the primary mode of transmitting images and vision information from the eye to the
brain. Glaucoma affects an estimated 3 million people in the United States and 65 million people
worldwide. About 120,000 Americans are blind due to glaucoma according to the Glaucoma Research
Foundation.
Medications have traditionally been the first line of defense against the further progression of glaucoma
once it has been diagnosed. Glaucoma medications, which must be taken daily, are very expensive and
are not always effective. Studies show that the cost of glaucoma medications per patient has increased
by as much as 148% since 1997. In certain cases where medications have proven ineffective, glaucoma
surgery can be performed; however, the results are inconsistent and can cause considerable trauma to
the eye.
Canaloplasty revitalizes the eye’s fluid outflow system to help manage IOP. It is a simple, nonpenetrating
outpatient procedure that takes about 30–45 minutes, and is significantly less traumatic to the eye than
more invasive traditional surgical treatments. In Canaloplasty, a tiny microcatheter is fed through a small
incision to enlarge Schlemm’s canal, a natural drainage pipeline in the eye.
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“My glaucoma medications had significantly affected my daily routine and losing my vision to glaucoma
was a serious possibility,” says [Patient X]. “Then, [Dr. xxxx] told me about a new treatment called
Canaloplasty. It was easy and now the pressure is off. Currently, I don’t have to take any medications,
and more importantly, I don’t have to worry about going blind. This treatment has changed my life!”
According to the study published in the July 2007 edition of the Journal of Cataract and Refractive
Surgery, Canaloplasty is effective and safe in treating glaucoma by lowering intraocular pressure (IOP) in
adults with angle closure glaucoma. Patients in the study experienced a 38% reduction in IOP which
causes optic nerve damage and vision loss. In addition, the need for costly drugs developed to help lower
IOP was reduced by up to 68% and about one-half of patients required no further medication.1
For more information about glaucoma and Canaloplasty, visit www.PracticeWebsiteX.com or
www.Canaloplasty.com.
Reference:
1. Lewis RA, von Wolff K, Tetz M, et al. Canaloplasty: circumferential viscodilation and tensioning of
Schlemm’s canal using a flexible microcatheter for the treatment or open-angle glaucoma in adults.
Interim clinical study analysis. J Cataract Refract. Surg. 2007;33(7):1217-1226.
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For press inquiries, contact:
Dr. XX, MD or media contact
Practice Name
(xxx) xxx-xxxx
Email address
Web address
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