On May 4, 2024, Dr. Melissa Tawa, OD, FAAO participated in two glaucoma panels at the Controversies in Modern Eye Care meeting. In one panel, she reviewed glaucoma case studies and in the other, she discussed surgical interventions and appropriate patient populations for technologies. Through her discussions, Dr. Tawa shared some valuable insights and pearls of wisdom from the talks.
During the case series on glaucoma, Dr. Tawa emphasized the importance of OCT and visual field interpretation, as well as factors like corneal hysteresis in managing glaucoma patients. She also highlighted how it’s crucial not only to control the disease but also to improve the patient’s quality of life. Dr. Tawa discussed how medications and procedures can have a significant impact on a patient’s daily life and strategies for alleviating drop burden.
In the glaucoma panel on drug delivery systems, Dr. Tawa focused on emerging technologies like Durysta and iDose TR that aim to reduce the need for medications in glaucoma patients. She also explored minimally invasive glaucoma surgeries (MIGS) as an alternative to topical medications to help improve patient compliance and reduce drop burden.
Overall, this shift towards alternative methods of controlling IOP represents a step towards enhancing patient care and quality of life by reducing medication burden while maintaining effective control over glaucoma symptoms.