EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF THE EX-PRESS GLAUCOMA IMPLANT: A THREE-YEAR SINGLE-CENTAR EXPERIENCE

To evaluate the three-year single-center experience with the Ex-Press glaucoma implant for intraocular pressure (IOP) reduction in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG).

University clinic of eye diseases- Skopje, North Macedonia

This retrospective study included 52 eyes from 34 patients (21 males and 13 females) who received Ex-Press implant surgery between March 2021 and April 2024. The mean IOP prior to surgery was 24,6 mmHg ± 3,8 SD. One week and one, three and six months after surgery, IOP levels were measured to assess the implant's efficacy.

The mean IOP at six months postoperatively was significantly reduced to 14,7 mmHg ± 2,6 SD, indicating a substantial and sustained reduction. Complications were minimal: one patient developed hypotony, which was resolved with conservative treatment, and another experienced implant obstruction, which was successfully managed with YAG laser. No additional surgical interventions were required, and there were no cases of infection, persistent hypotony, or other severe complications.

The Ex-Press implant demonstrated efficacy in achieving target IOP levels while maintaining a favorable safety profile. This single-center experience over three years suggests that the Ex-Press implant is a valuable option for patients with refractory POAG, as it provides reliable and sustained IOP reduction with a low complication rate. Given these promising results, the Ex-Press implant can be recommended as an effective tool in the surgical management of POAG to prevent disease progression and improve patient quality of life.