Interventional glaucoma: Rethinking glaucoma treatment paradigms in the Asian context

Abstract

The emergence and advancements in glaucoma treatment modalities have expanded the options available to clinicians, particularly for patients with mild to moderate glaucoma. These newer approaches, such as minimally invasive glaucoma surgeries and selective laser trabeculoplasty, aim to effectively reduce intraocular pressure and potentially improve patient outcomes. 'Interventional glaucoma' reflects a paradigm shift in the glaucoma management strategies and involves adopting a more proactive approach and offering these interventions at earlier stages of the disease. By administering them earlier, these interventions can modulate the course of the disease and prevent significant visual loss, thereby reducing or delaying the need for subsequent filtering surgeries. In this review, we discuss the need for interventional glaucoma and the evidence behind these interventional techniques. We highlight key considerations that should be considered when implementing interventional glaucoma approaches in the Asian context.