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STUDENT PROFILE 
Ann Marie Patterson Third-year student, Versailles, KY. Student Life: Intramural football. "We're medical students, so we're competitive." SUPPORT USC
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 School of Medicine offers new procedure to treat glaucomaGlenn Martin of Bethune wasn't surprised when he learned that he had glaucoma. His 81-year-old mother Julia Davis had suffered from the disease for many years, as had other family members. But thanks to a new, minimally invasive surgical procedure, which is being performed in the Palmetto State only by a University of South Carolina School of Medicine ophthalmologist, Martin and his mother have new hope that the devastating effects of glaucoma can be reduced or eliminated. Dr. Kenneth Mitchell, a faculty member in the School of Medicine's department of ophthalmology, is performing a new type of surgery that uses a device, called the Trabectome, to help glaucoma patients. The surgical procedure, which is performed on an outpatient basis, uses a local anesthetic and takes only about 15 - 30 minutes to complete. "The advantage is that it's much less invasive than other types of surgery," said Mitchell, the first glaucoma specialist in South Carolina to perform this new surgery. In fact, the 61-year-old Martin, a retired deputy sheriff, said he had only one day of "down time," and that's because of the patch that a patient wears for about 24 hours after the procedure is done. "I was surprised at this simplicity of the procedure," said Martin. "I was in and out of the surgery in no time." Martin, who has had the Trabectome procedure done on one eye, will have surgery on the other eye this month. Davis has had the procedure on both eyes, and Martin said it's a relief to know that they won't have to rely on expensive eye drops to reduce the pressure that can damage the optic nerve. Glaucoma has few symptoms but can cause blindness if left untreated. The disease often occurs when the eye's drainage canals quit working and become clogged. The pressure in the eye builds and eventually damages the eye. The effects can be so subtle that most people don't know that anything is wrong until they begin losing their peripheral vision or have an eye exam conducted by their doctor. Eye drops and advances in surgery, including laser surgery, have helped many people but may not be effective long term. The Trabectome procedure opens the eye's drainage system. Because it has few side effects, patients are able to return to work in about two days, he said. Glaucoma treatment often involves eye drops, such as the ones that Martin and Davis have used, which are only as effective as the level of the patient's compliance, After the Trabectome procedure, many patients can reduce or discontinue their glaucoma drops, Mitchell said. "Patient compliance is better, and this makes the disease easier to manage," he said. Laser surgery tends to improve the outflow through the blocked channel, Mitchell said. The Trabectome uses an electrical current, which is guided to remove a precise layer of the tissue responsible for the blockage, he said. Doctors estimate that approximately 3 million people in the United States have glaucoma, but only about half of them are aware that they have the disease. "Glaucoma is a very serious problem in South Carolina," Mitchell said, "and is especially prevalent among African Americans who often get glaucoma earlier in life." It's important, he said, for people to realize that there is no cure for glaucoma. Eye drops, laser surgery and any other surgery are only treatments designed to slow or stop the progression of the disease before a person becomes blind. "Protecting your sight from glaucoma requires being tested by your doctor," he said. "Then, he or she can prescribe the best treatment for you, and that treatment can begin before further damage to the eye is done." Martin said he was fortunate to have an ophthalmologist who referred him to Mitchell. "This is a new type of surgery, and not everyone knows about it," Martin said. "I was lucky to learn about it, and now I know that my optic nerve won't have more damage." To learn more about the Trabectome procedure, contact the department of ophthalmology at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine at 803-434-6836, or email Dr. Kenneth Mitchell at kmitchell@gw.mp.sc.edu.
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"The advantage is that it's much less invasive than other types of surgery," said Mitchell, the first glaucoma specialist in South Carolina to perform this new surgery. ALL ABOUT US About SOM: Our
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