Sustained Intraocular Pressure Control after iStent Infinite® Implantation for Steroid-Induced Glaucoma: A Case Report

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Authors: Kyunghee Lee, Je Hyun Seo, L Jay Katz, Alex S. Huang, Su‐Ho Lim
Cited by: 1

Abstract

Background/Objectives Steroid-induced glaucoma (SIG) or ocular hypertension is a well-known complication after corticosteroid exposure to the eye, particularly intravitreal dexamethasone im-plantation. The main mechanism of elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) is trabecular meshwork dysfunction, leading to increased aqueous outflow resistance. Although most SIG cases respond to medical treatment, some patients develop persistent IOP elevation requiring surgical intervention. Minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) has recently emerged as a safer surgical option, but there are a limited number of reports using MIGS for SIG. Methods: A 73-year-old man, who had branch retinal vein occlusion with refractory macular edema despite multiple anti-VEGF injections, received an intravitreal Ozurdex® (Allergan, Irvine, CA, USA) implant. He developed marked IOP elevation from 17 to 34 mmHg despite maximal topical therapy. Visual field progression and progressive retinal nerve fiber layer thinning were also observed. Given the need for continued ocular steroid use and only having one arm due to trauma making drops difficult, three trabecular micro-bypass stent devices (iStent infinite®, Glaukos Corp., Aliso Viejo, CA, USA) were implanted for IOP control. Postoperatively, IOP decreased to 13 mmHg and remained stable at 15 mmHg for 12 months. Additionally, macular edema was well-controlled with ongoing Ozurdex treatment and no observed IOP spikes. Conclusions: This is the first reported case of SIG-associated Ozurdex successfully managed with triple trabecular micro-bypass stents. The iStent infinite implantation provided safe and sustained IOP control for SIG, highlighting its potential role in patients requiring continuous intravitreal steroids.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Glaucoma and retinal disorders Retinal Diseases and Treatments Retinal and Macular Surgery

Publication details

Journal / source
Preprints.org
Publisher
MDPI AG
Publication date
21 January 2026
Document type
Preprint