This special French-language episode, hosted by Prof. Florent and featuring Prof. Philippe Denis and Dr. Alice Grise-Dulac, explores the shift toward earlier interventional glaucoma integrated into routine phaco surgery. Techniques like Elios excimer laser trabeculotomy enable safe IOP reduction and decreased medication burden, making them a practical, modern approach to glaucoma care.
The Interventional Glaucoma Podcast
Episode 22: Intégrer le Glaucome Interventionnel à votre Phaco Routine
Key Takeaways
- Paradigm shift: Glaucoma management is moving from a drops-first approach to earlier interventional strategies, including MIGS and Elios excimer laser trabeculotomy.
- Phaco + MIGS: Combining cataract surgery with a trabecular procedure is highly relevant, given the 20–25% overlap of cataract and glaucoma patients.
- Main objective: Achieve IOP reduction while decreasing or eliminating medications, improving patient quality of life.
- Ideal candidates: Patients with mild-to-moderate glaucoma, especially those on 1–2 medications or with poor tolerance/compliance.
- Technique options:
– Implant-based (e.g., stents)
– Non-implant approaches like Elios, which enhances outflow by creating micro-perforations without leaving a device - Learning curve: Relatively short (~15–20 cases), provided the surgeon is comfortable with intraoperative gonioscopy.
- Outcomes: Good safety profile, moderate IOP lowering, and significant reduction in medication burden.
- Standalone use: Elios can also be performed independently (e.g., in pseudophakic or progressing patients).
Guests
Prof. Florent Aptel
Florent Aptel is a Professor of Ophthalmology practicing at the Visis centers in Médipôle Saint-Roch and Perpignan. He holds a medical degree and a PhD from the University of Lyon and obtained the European Board of Ophthalmology certification in 2008. His research work led to the development of an innovative glaucoma treatment based on high-intensity focused ultrasound. He is President of the French Glaucoma Society (SFG) and Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board of the France Glaucome Association. He has authored over 150 peer-reviewed publications and specializes in the management of glaucoma and anterior segment diseases.
Prof. Philippe Denis
Philippe Denis is Professor and Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology at Croix-Rousse University Hospital in Lyon, France. He is also Director of the Optometry School of Lyon and of the Ophthalmic Educational Council for the Auvergne Rhône-Alpes region. A specialist in glaucoma, he is Vice-President of the French Glaucoma Society (SFG) and past President of the French Society of Ophthalmology (SFO). He has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and has been recognized with several awards for his research and contributions to the field.
Dr. Alice Grise-Dulac
Alice Grise-Dulac is an ophthalmic surgeon specializing in cataract, glaucoma, and refractive disorders. She trained in ophthalmology at the University of Paris and obtained the European Board of Ophthalmology certification in 2009. She currently practices at the Fondation Ophtalmologique Adolphe de Rothschild in Paris, where she focuses on cataract and refractive surgery. In addition to her clinical work, she is a board member of the French Intraocular Implant and Refractive Surgery Association (SAFIR) and is involved in the Femmes de Santé network.
Additional Resources
Follow Prof Florent Aptel on Social:
Professor Florent Aptel | LinkedIn
Follow Prof Philippe Denis on Social:
Professor Philippe Denis | LinkedIn
Follow Dr Alice Grise-Dulac on Social:
Doctor Alice Grise-Dulac | LinkedIn
Episode 21: Integrare la chirurgia del glaucoma nella routine della chirurgia della cataratta
This special Italian-language episode of the Interventional Glaucoma podcast features Prof Fea and Dr Oddone as they explore the integration of minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) into routine cataract procedures.
Episode 20: Simple Tips to Improve Angle Visualisation
In this first 2026 episode, hosted by Prof. Dan Lindfield, Ms. Nishani Amerasinghe and Dr. Carolina Medina Martin discuss practical ways to improve angle visualisation during glaucoma assessment and MIGS
Episode 19: ELIOS – What does the data tell us?
In this episode of the Interventional Glaucoma Podcast, our experts Prof. Gus Gazzard, Prof. Cédric Schweitzer and Dr. Marc Töteberg-Harms discuss the evidence, safety, and long-term data behind interventional glaucoma