Close-up of a human eye and eyelid

Education

Understanding glaucoma

Glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness globally — and angle-closure glaucoma is predominant in Asians due to eye structure.

What is Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a group of eye conditions that damage the optic nerve, typically caused by abnormally high intraocular pressure (IOP). It is one of the leading causes of irreversible blindness globally, and early intervention is critical to preserving vision.

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    Damage to the optic nerve is permanent and irreversible

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    Elevated intraocular pressure is the primary risk factor

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    Many patients have no symptoms until significant damage has occurred

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    Early diagnosis and intervention are essential to preserving vision

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    Intraocular pressure is the only modifiable risk factor

Medical illustration of eye anatomy and aqueous humor flow

Types of Glaucoma

Open-angle vs Angle-closure

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Open-angle Glaucoma

The most common form of glaucoma. The drainage angle remains open, but the trabecular meshwork slowly becomes less efficient over time, causing gradual pressure build-up with typically slow progression.

Most common

Addressed by many existing MIGS devices

Focus Area
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Angle-closure Glaucoma

The iris physically blocks the outflow pathway, raising intraocular pressure sharply. More aggressive than open-angle glaucoma with a higher risk of rapid vision loss. Disproportionately affects Asian populations.

Higher risk · Underserved

No approved MIGS option exists — existing devices are contraindicated in this anatomy

Why Angle-Closure Matters

36 million patients by 2040, no minimally invasive option

Existing minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) devices require an open trabecular meshwork to function. For angle-closure patients, this pathway is blocked — making current minimally invasive solutions inapplicable and leaving a critical treatment gap. In angle-closure disease, the iris obstructs the iridocorneal angle — physically preventing access to the trabecular meshwork that conventional MIGS devices depend on. Adapting existing MIGS devices to this anatomy has proven unsuccessful, with significantly higher failure rates than in open-angle patients.

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