Glaucoma implant with anchor

Abstract

A glaucoma treatment device for directing the flow of aqueous humor and bypassing trabecular meshwork is shown. The device includes an inlet section, an outlet section, a middle section, and at least one lumen for transmitting aqueous humor within the glaucoma device. The lumen extends through at least one of the sections, and the outlet section is substantially perpendicular to the middle section and fits within a conduit of aqueous humor outflow in the eye.

1 . A method of reducing intraocular pressure, comprising: 
 providing an implant having a proximal portion and a distal portion, at least one fluid pathway extending between the proximal and distal portions, a first anchor disposed at the proximal portion and a second anchor disposed at the distal portion; and    implanting the implant in eye tissue such that the fluid pathway drains aqueous humor from an anterior chamber of an eye to a physiologic outflow pathway of the eye and that eye tissue resides between the first and second anchors with the first anchor being disposed in the anterior chamber.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  additionally comprising forming a corneal incision, introducing the implant into the anterior chamber through said corneal incision, and advancing the implant through the anterior chamber to an insertion site in said eye tissue.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the corneal incision is formed on a side of the eye that is generally opposite of the eye tissue in which the implant is to be implanted, and the implant is advanced across the anterior chamber from the corneal incision to the insertion site.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein implanting involves inserting the implant through a trabecular meshwork of the eye and positioning the distal portion within Schlemm's canal of the eye.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein implanting involves positioning the first anchor within the anterior chamber of the eye and the second anchor within the physiologic outflow pathway.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the second anchor is positioned within Schlemm's canal.  
   
   
       7 . A method of reducing intraocular pressure, comprising: 
 implanting an implant in eye tissue such that a fluid pathway through the implant drains aqueous humor from an anterior chamber of an eye to a physiologic outflow pathway within the eye;    positioning a first anchor in the anterior chamber to inhibit migration of the implant toward the physiologic outflow pathway; and    positioning a second anchor in the physiologic outflow pathway to inhibit migration of the implant toward the anterior chamber.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7  additionally comprising the step of providing an implant with the first and second anchors affixed thereon.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 7  additionally comprising the step of providing an implant having the first and second anchors spaced apart by a distance that substantially corresponds to a distance between the anterior chamber and the physiologic outflow pathway.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein positioning the second anchor involves inserting the second anchor through a trabecular meshwork of the eye and into Schlemm's canal of the eye.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 7  additionally comprising forming a corneal incision, introducing the implant into the anterior chamber through said corneal incision, and advancing the implant through the anterior chamber to an insertion site.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the corneal incision is formed on a side of the eye that is generally opposite of the eye tissue in which the implant is to be implanted, and the implant is advanced across the anterior chamber from the corneal incision to the insertion site.