Turn on cookies to sign in
Signing in saves your progress to your Curie account. We can only do that with cookies on — turn them on to continue.
A noninvasive laser procedure for glaucoma is proving its staying power. The FLigHT procedure — which uses a femtosecond laser to create a tiny drainage channel in the eye — delivered a 28% reduction in intraocular pressure (IOP) sustained over 48 months in the first 12 patients treated. No infections, inflammation, or channel blockages were observed, and the system is already commercially available in the EU and UK.
A noninvasive laser procedure for glaucoma is proving its staying power. The FLigHT (femtosecond laser image-guided high-precision trabeculotomy) procedure, which creates a microscopic drainage channel in the trabecular meshwork without opening the eye, demonstrated sustained safety and effectiveness over 48 months in the first 12 patients treated. Results were presented at the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons meeting in London.
The procedure uses the ViaLuxe femtosecond laser system and takes roughly 20 seconds to complete under topical anesthesia — no operating room required. Gonioscopy and OCT imaging confirmed the drainage channels remained stable throughout follow-up, with no fibrosis, inflammation, or occlusion detected at 4 years.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: FLigHT offers a compelling alternative to traditional glaucoma surgery — no incisions, no OR, and no major complications in early follow-up. If FDA approval comes through, it could reshape how interventional glaucoma is managed in the U.S.
