Less invasive surgery for glaucoma a success in Shanghai

Shanghai Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital has announced its success in conducting the city's first XEN minimally invasive glaucoma surgery.

The XEN gel stent is a newly developed device that is significantly less invasive during glaucoma surgery. It offers new intraocular pressure reduction with less risk, shorter operating times and quicker recovery.

Chief surgeon of the operation, Dr Chen Junyi, said XEN surgery reduces the cut in a traditional surgical procedure from 10 millimeters to 1 millimeter. There is less trauma and less risk of pre- and post-surgical complications, Chen said.

Glaucoma is the top irreversible eye disease causing blindness. There are about 27 million glaucoma patients in China and two-thirds of them are diagnosed with the disease until the middle or terminal stages.