Sandra

For Sandra, an active and outdoorsy retiree, wearing glasses and contacts was second nature to her – after all, she had worn them since she was five years old. However, when she was diagnosed with glaucoma in her early thirties, Sandra was concerned. She had no family history of glaucoma and was worried she would lose her vision. Over the years she was able to manage her glaucoma with various medications, surgeries, and treatments. Then recently, when the opportunity to treat her glaucoma during cataract surgery arose, Sandra jumped at the chance. 

Navigating A Rocky Road 

Sandra, now a retired geologist, lives in Colorado with her husband. Together, they have always enjoyed skiing, hiking, biking, and fly fishing, and have recently taken up stand-up paddleboarding. Despite wearing glasses or contacts for most of her life, Sandra’s vision had never really bothered her until she was diagnosed with glaucoma at 31 years old. Sandra, who was completely surprised to learn that she was living with glaucoma, worried that her condition could impact her ability to partake in her favorite pastimes. 

For years following her diagnosis, Sandra was able to manage her glaucoma with daily eye drops and other treatments to reduce the pressure in her eyes. Then, five years ago when Sandra and her husband moved, she needed a new eye doctor. After her former ophthalmologist recommended Dr. James Fox of ICON Eyecare in Grand Junction, Colorado, Sandra immediately made an appointment. She was impressed by Dr. Fox; he was knowledgeable, easy to speak with, and aggressive in his treatment approach. Under Dr. Fox’s care, Sandra had several surgeries and as of this year was on three daily medications to help manage her glaucoma. Although this helped keep her condition under control, she also suffered from severe dry eye syndrome, so the daily medications irritated her eyes. Despite this, Sandra continued to take her eye drops as prescribed, but hoped a better solution would become available. 

Nearing A Turning Point 

Things began to change for Sandra when Dr. Fox recommended that she receive cataract surgery in her left eye. At the same time, Dr. Fox told Sandra about iStent inject® W, a microscopic stent that is implanted in the eye during cataract surgery and effectively reduces eye pressure. Intrigued, Sandra went home to conduct her own research and she was amazed to see how tiny the stent was. After deciding that iStent inject® W was right for her, Sandra’s left eye was implanted with the device in July of 2021. 

Since Sandra underwent cataract surgery in her right eye years ago and her eye pressure in that eye is currently under control, she is not a candidate for iStent inject® W in that eye. However, if at any point that changes, Sandra would not think twice about receiving the implant again. Following the procedure, Sandra was impressed that she couldn’t see or feel the stent. She was also relieved that it could be implanted during cataract surgery so that she didn’t need to have two separate surgeries.

Blue Skies Ahead 

Since receiving iStent inject® W, Sandra has reduced her daily medications from three times per day to twice daily. Sandra found this to be beneficial for her dry eye syndrome, as she now experiences less irritation in her eye as a result of her reduction in drops. In addition, with the knowledge that her pressure is under control, Sandra is relieved that she can continue enjoying her active, outdoorsy lifestyle. 

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