Contact Us | Find An Expert

Find an Expert
a

Dr. Kordish

As a practicing optometrist, Dr. David Kordish is no stranger to identifying patients with eye disease. So when he noticed his own eyes were red and irritated, he knew it was time to have them checked. During the exam, the ophthalmologist diagnosed him with glaucoma and cataracts and prescribed eye drops to lower the pressure in his eyes. Over time, Dr. Kordish had an allergic reaction to the eye drops he was using which caused his eyes to feel irritated and get extremely red, forcing him to stop using this medication. During this time he also stopped wearing his contacts to prevent any additional sensitivity. Next, his ophthalmologist suggested a second drop, which was a combination of three different drops. Dr. Kordish noticed his vision was dramatically impacted and he experienced more eye discomfort and constant redness. Finally, Dr. Kordish and his doctor were able to find a balance of drops to keep the redness and pressure low, by taking drops twice a day.

Impacting His Life

Dr. Kordish had tired eyes and began to work even harder to see the patients he was treating, in addition to taking breaks and using lubricating drops to keep his eyes flushed out. A full workday was becoming nearly impossible for Dr. Kordish; he knew he had to get his own eye health under control and fast. The eye drops he was using helped to control the pressure in his eyes but once again his eyes became irritated from the drops and he found himself struggling daily with redness. As an optometrist, this was not only embarrassing and uncomfortable but also cosmetically concerning. It impacted the way Dr. Kordish communicated with his patients and he was constantly having to explain why his eyes were red.

Seeing The Light

For the first four months of the COVID-19 pandemic work slowed down for Dr. Kordish, and throughout this time his vision deteriorated once again. With some unexpected time off, he made the decision to visit Dr. Johnathan Haymore of MultiCare Rockwood Eye and Optical Center to check on his glaucoma and cataracts. During the visit, Dr. Kordish learned that his cataracts worsened. Concerned about his deteriorating vision, Dr. Haymore suggested that he consider cataract surgery in an effort to prevent blindness. He also introduced Dr. Kordish to the iStent inject® W, one of the smallest medical devices known that can effectively reduce pressure in the eye, and more importantly for Dr. Kordish, potentially eliminate the use of eye drops. Without hesitation, Dr. Kordish scheduled the procedure and was treated in September of 2020. Dr. Haymore treated Dr. Kordish with iStent inject® W during cataract surgery on his right eye and a few weeks later his left/right eye was treated with iStent inject® W as well.

Living Life To The Fullest

At 70 years old Dr. Kordish is thrilled to have his glaucoma under control and is relieved he no longer has to use medication to control his glaucoma. He shares, “Since being treated with iStent inject® W, I feel a huge burden has been lifted off my shoulders. I used to spend so much time managing my glaucoma with eye drops and worrying about the appearance of my eyes and whether or not they were red. Now I feel more confident and don’t have to think about what my eyes look like. I continue to share my story and encourage my glaucoma patients to consider iStent inject® W because it was such a relief for me”. Now Dr. Kordish continues to treat his patients, and no longer has to worry about redness or irritation! He tells us he is looking forward to hiking, golfing, fishing, hunting, and entertaining his dogs outdoors without eye drops irritating his eyes.

The results described on this site are based on data collected regarding short- and intermediate-term efficacy of treatment. Individual results are not guaranteed and may vary. For more information, visit: glaukos.com

Follow Our Blog to Learn More

View Blog

Patient Stories

Barbara A.

Barbara A.

Barbara was diagnosed with glaucoma and cataracts eight years ago. For many years she was able to manage her glaucoma with drops. However, she became concerned when her glaucoma began to worsen and she experienced double vision. It wasn’t until recently that Barbara discovered iStent inject® W as an effective way to reduce eye pressure.

Bill

Bill

A 66-year-old active retiree, Bill loves spending his days playing basketball, tennis, and golf. When he was diagnosed with glaucoma, he became worried that any potential vision loss could impact his ability to play his favorite sports. As someone with a family history of glaucoma, Bill knows firsthand the devastating vision loss that glaucoma can cause if left untreated. So when he also began developing cataracts, his ophthalmologist introduced him to iStent inject® W, one of the world’s smallest implantable devices that can have remarkable benefits for glaucoma patients with cataracts. 

Michael

Michael

Michael first noticed changes to his vision eight years ago when he began seeing black spots while driving. He visited a local ophthalmologist, who decided to run some tests. Shortly thereafter he was diagnosed with glaucoma and cataracts. This ultimately led to another health discovery – Michael had diabetes. Overwhelmed by both diagnoses, he put his busy life on hold and sought treatment for his deteriorating vision.

Stay Connected

Sign up to receive the latest information about glaucoma, new treatments, research findings and more!

Glaukos will use the information you provide on this form to be in touch with you.

Consent(Required)
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

INDICATION FOR USE
The iStent inject® W Trabecular Micro-Bypass System Model G2-W is indicated for use in conjunction with cataract surgery for the reduction of intraocular pressure (IOP) in adult patients with mild-to-moderate primary open-angle glaucoma.

CONTRAINDICATIONS
The iStent inject® W is contraindicated in eyes with angle-closure glaucoma, traumatic, malignant, uveitic, or neovascular glaucoma, discernible congenital anomalies of the anterior chamber (AC) angle, retrobulbar tumor, thyroid eye disease, or Sturge-Weber Syndrome or any other type of condition that may cause elevated episcleral venous pressure.

WARNINGS
Gonioscopy should be performed prior to surgery to exclude congenital anomalies of the angle, PAS, rubeosis, or conditions that would prohibit adequate visualization of the angle that could lead to improper placement of the stent and pose a hazard.

MRI INFORMATION
The iStent inject® W is MR-Conditional, i.e., the device is safe for use in a specified MR environment under specified conditions; please see Directions for Use (DFU) label for details.

PRECAUTIONS
The surgeon should monitor the patient postoperatively for proper maintenance of intraocular pressure (IOP). The safety and effectiveness of the iStent inject® W have not been established as an alternative to the primary treatment of glaucoma with medications, in children, in eyes with significant prior trauma, abnormal anterior segment, chronic inflammation, prior glaucoma surgery (except SLT performed > 90 days preoperative), glaucoma associated with vascular disorders, pseudoexfoliative, pigmentary or other secondary open-angle glaucomas, pseudophakic eyes, phakic eyes without concomitant cataract surgery or with complicated cataract surgery, eyes with medicated intraocular pressure (IOP) > 24 mmHg or unmedicated intraocular pressure (IOP) < 21 mmHg or > 36 mmHg, or for implantation of more or less than two stents.

ADVERSE EVENTS
Common postoperative adverse events reported in the iStent inject® randomized pivotal trial included stent obstruction (6.2%), intraocular inflammation (5.7% for iStent inject® vs. 4.2% for cataract surgery only), secondary surgical intervention (5.4% vs. 5.0%) and BCVA loss ≥ 2 lines ≥ 3 months (2.6% vs. 4.2%).

CAUTION
Federal law restricts this device to sale by, or on the order of, a physician. Please see DFU for a complete list of contraindications, warnings, precautions, and adverse events.

Text Optimizer
Share This