In a first-of-its-kind comprehensive review article outlining the current literature with ten clinical studies of more than 800 eyes, results of multiple independent studies demonstrated that ELIOS Excimer Laser Trabeculostomy (ELT) was as effective or better than other forms of microinvasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) in reducing intraocular pressure (IOP), with sustained IOP lowering to the mid-teens. The article, titled “Current Review of Excimer Laser Trabeculostomy,” was published in the BioMed Central journal Eye and Vision and authored by Georges M. Durr, Marc Töteberg-Harms, Richard Lewis, Antonio Fea, Paola Marolo and Iqbal “Ike” K. Ahmed.
In the review article of non-industry funded studies from independent investigators at more than a dozen centers across multiple countries including Italy, Germany, Switzerland and Spain, use of the IOP-lowering device following an established method in open-angle glaucoma patient populations demonstrated a degree of IOP lowering equal or superior to those achieved with other MIGS. The results were reproducible across the centers, with significant, durable IOP reduction that in some studies lasted to 5-8 years. Complication rates were low, both when used as a stand-alone procedure and in combination with cataract surgery.
“ELT is readily adoptable by surgeons, can be combined with cataract surgery and is one of the least invasive methods, even among MIGS. These studies show that without leaving a device behind, ELT offers a bleb-free alternative that can achieve sustained IOP lowering to the mid- teens,” said lead study author Georges Durr, MD, FRCSC from the Université of Montréal, CHUM hospital.
Among the demonstrated advantages of ELIOS over other MIGS, the article notes its ease of use, less scarring than results from traditional thermal lasers, and, with lower hyphema risks compared to ablative procedures, potentially less secondary synechia to the angle. The randomized controlled trial as well as prospective, retrospective and other studies showed that ELT decreased glaucoma medication usage almost exclusively, with few intraoperative or postoperative risks, none of which were considered serious.
“Surgeons looking for a laser treatment option for the trabecular meshwork at the time of cataract surgery will be happy to hear that not only does one exist, but there are years of data demonstrating IOP-lowering with very low complication rates,” added Arsham Sheybani, MD, Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, MO, who was not involved in the study.
“This review and recent data from the largest published study on ELIOS clearly show that through deep experience with this method and extensive use with our device, ELIOS reduces IOP as well as or more effectively than other MIGS with low risk to patients,” said Matilda Parente, MD, Chief Medical Officer of ELT Sight Inc. “We look forward to bringing ELIOS the U.S. to offer cataract patients with glaucoma a treatment option that restores the natural outflow of the eye without leaving a device behind or destroying a critical part of the eye anatomy,” added Dr. Parente.
