In this episode of the Interventional Glaucoma podcast, professor Gus Gazzard is joined by Ms. Nishani Amerasinghe and Dr Jose Belda to discuss the concept of routine Phaco Plus. They explore the benefits, safety, and patient outcomes associated with Phaco Plus, as well as its current adoption across Europe.
The Interventional Glaucoma Podcast
Episode 11: Routine Phaco+ MIGS: Are we there yet?
Key Takeaways
- Defining Phaco Plus: Phaco Plus combines cataract surgery with MIGS procedure to reduce intraocular pressure.
- Low Risk: The surgeons emphasize the safety of Phaco Plus, noting that doing both procedures at once should not add any significant risk to cataract surgery.
- Quality of Life: Combining MIGS with cataract surgery can improve patients’ quality of life by reducing or eliminating the need for glaucoma medications, which often have side effects.
- Long-Term Benefits: Phaco Plus can delay or prevent the need for more invasive glaucoma surgeries in the future and has shown effectiveness in managing glaucoma progression.
- Current Practice and Adoption: The surgeons discuss the significant variations in the uptake of Phaco Plus throughout Europe, highlighting the increasing uptake in the UK, and varying approval processes in different regions across Spain.
- Patient Selection: Phaco Plus is generally considered for patients with mild to moderate glaucoma undergoing cataract surgery.
- Managing Expectations: Managing patient expectations is crucial, and the surgeons highlight the importance of explaining that Phaco Plus is a step in the treatment journey and not a guaranteed solution.
- Barriers to Adoption: The surgeons discuss the reluctance among some glaucoma surgeons to adopt Phaco Plus, highlighting that many barriers to adoption are systemic or organizational rather than scientific.
Guests
Professor Gus Gazzard
Professor Gus Gazzard is Director of Surgery at Moorfields Eye Hospital and Professor in Ophthalmology, Glaucoma Studies at UCL London. He joined the Glaucoma Research Society as one of the top 100 glaucoma researchers in the field and is leading author of multiple publications on MIGS surgery.
Ms Nishani Amerasinghe
Ms Amerasinghe is a full time Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon based at the University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, specialising in Glaucoma and Cataract Surgery. She is a leading expert in Glaucoma in the UK employing the latest medical and surgical techniques including lasers (SLT), conventional glaucoma surgery (tube and trabeculectomy) and minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS). She is an expert complex cataract surgeon using the latest innovative techniques. She is the immediate Past President of the UK and Ireland Glaucoma Society.
Dr Jose Belda
Dr Jose Belda is a Surgeon Ophthalmologist at Visionker Eye Clinic, Clínica Oftálica, and head of the Ophthalmology Service at the University Hospital of Torrevieja. He is a reference expert in the approach and treatment of Glaucoma, standing out for his great work in the different clinical and hospital centers where he has worked. His extensive training in ophthalmology includes stays in centers of international prestige such as the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Moorfields Eye Hospital, and the Hospital for the Prevention of Blindness in Mexico DF.
Additional Resources
Follow Prof Gus Gazzard on Social:
Prof Gus Gazzard | LinkedIn
Follow Dr Jose Belda on Social:
Dr Jose Belda | LinkedIn
Follow Ms Nishani Amerasinghe on Social:
Ms Nishani Amerasinghe | LinkedIn
Ms Nishani Amerasinghe | Instagram
Episode 10: Glaucoma Management Five Years From Now
Dr. Karl Mercieca, Dr. Gok Ratnarajan, and Dr. Ana Miguel discuss the future of glaucoma management.
Episode 9: Physician experiences with ELIOS and the rationale for routinely combining MIGS with cataract surgery
Dr Jose Belda, Dr María Isabel Canut, and Dr Marta Ibarz discuss the rationale and benefits of routinely combining MIGS with cataract surgery.
Episode 8: TM-MIGS: Impact on patient quality of life
Professor Christophe Baudouin, Mr Gok Ratnarajan, and Dr Ana Miguel discuss the impact of glaucoma treatments on patients' quality of life.