XEN Gel Stent

The XEN® Gel Stent is a revolutionary device for treating glaucoma, a leading cause of blindness in the United States. Arun Joseph, MD, and his team of eye experts at Dallas Glaucoma Specialists in Allen, Texas, were the first ophthalmologists to implant the XEN gel stent in Collin County. This minute device reduces eye pressure in patients with open-angle glaucoma who’ve not found medications or other surgeries successful. Call Dallas Glaucoma Specialists to learn more or schedule a consultation online today to see if a XEN gel stent is right for you.

What is a XEN Gel Stent?

The XEN Gel Stent is a surgical eye implant. It reduces high eye pressure in patients with open-angle glaucoma where medications alone are insufficient and previous surgery has been unsuccessful (refractory glaucoma).

This stent is also suitable for optic nerve conditions, such as pseudoexfoliative or pigmentary glaucoma, that don’t respond to the maximum medical therapy you can tolerate.

A XEN Gel Stent is a minute tube about an eyelash’s length that goes just under the conjunctiva (a clear membrane covering the whites of your eyes).

The stent softens and becomes flexible when it’s in your eye. It creates a tiny channel that drains fluid from the eye, reducing intraocular pressure (the pressure inside your eyeball).

Why might I need a XEN Gel Stent?

XEN Gel Stents are an advanced, minimally invasive option for patients with glaucoma. This common eye disease arises when the eyeball has excess fluid (aqueous humor). The eye continually produces aqueous, which drains away at the same rate it’s produced, maintaining healthy eye pressure.

When you have glaucoma, the drainage angle that carries old fluid away becomes partially or fully blocked. Aqueous can’t flow properly, so it backs up, and the pressure in your eye increases. Excessive intraocular pressure causes optic nerve damage.

The optic nerve, which consists of around a million tiny nerve fibers, sends information from your eyes to your brain so you can see. The more nerve fibers get damaged, the worse your sight becomes. If all the nerve fibers stop working, you lose your sight.

The XEN Gel Stent prevents sight loss by channeling the excess aqueous out of the eye, restoring normal pressure.

What does XEN Gel Stent implantation involve?

XEN Gel Stent implantation is an outpatient procedure, so you can go home the same day. Your Dallas Glaucoma Specialists ophthalmologist numbs your eyes with anesthetic drops, then uses an injector instrument to place the stent in precisely the right location. The XEN Gel Stent should start working immediately, allowing fluid to drain from your eyeball.

Some patients still need to use glaucoma eye drop medication after a XEN Gel Stent implantation procedure. Others no longer have to use drops — your eye doctor will determine if you must continue with eye drop use. The XEN Gel Stent is a permanent implant, so it should work for many years.

Call Dallas Glaucoma Specialists today to discover how XEN Gel Stents prevent glaucoma-related sight loss. You can also book an appointment using the online booking feature.