Methods for treating glaucoma

Abstract

A method of treating glaucoma in an eye includes obtaining a surgical instrument having a cutting means and severing/cleaving an anterior attachment of a portion of trabecular meshwork of the eye proximate to Schwalbe's line with the cutting means while leaving the ciliary muscle tendons attached to the scleral spur of the portion of trabecular meshwork to create a trabecular meshwork leaflet. The surgical instrument including the cutting means is preferably a handheld microsurgical cutting instrument having at least one sharpened edge. Alternatively, the instrument may be an invasive or non-invasive laser cutting instrument with a laser cutting means; a vibratory cutting instrument with a vibratory cutting means; or a thermal cutting instrument with a thermal cutting means. The step of severing the portion of trabecular meshwork is preferably characterized by a linear cleavage plane severing the attachment portion without removing substantially any trabecular meshwork from the eye.