Guided by Dr Divya Perumal, Paula Farrar manoeuvres the slightly floppy Preserflo stent into the right place

Re:Vision’s first minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) dry lab workshop provided keen optometrists with a unique opportunity to put their surgical skills to the test. A bit like speed dating, optometrists moved between six stations, inserting Glaukos’ latest iStent infinite and Preserflo as well as trying their hand at using the Kahook Dual Blade before examining four volunteer MIGS patients.

Re:Vision hosts Jennifer Silvester, Dr Mo Ziaei, Elkie Wong, Nick Mathew, Divya Perumal and Glaukos’ Chris Money 

Passionate shared-care advocate Dr Divya Perumal said the workshop had been a dream of hers for a long time. Enhancing optometrists’ MIGS knowledge is important since MIGS patients are ideal candidates for co-management, she said. “A collaborative approach between optometrists and ophthalmologists in evaluating, educating and managing patients undergoing MIGS leads to better outcomes, efficient use of resources, enhanced patient satisfaction and better continuity of care,” she said.

Discussing pre- and post-surgery considerations and different surgery techniques, Dr Perumal said MIGS candidates are patients with mild to moderate glaucoma and glaucoma patients with cataracts who want to get off medication, have poor medication compliance or are medication intolerant, are challenged in attending regular follow-ups or want a faster post-operative recovery.

Dr Vandana Kumar handling the Kahook dual blade

One important aspect of the optometrist’s role in a shared-care arrangements is education and counselling, said Dr Perumal, including informing patients of the benefits and risks and advising them of realistic outcomes. “MIGS is not cataract surgery, it’s a lifetime process,” she concluded.