Three peer-reviewed publications expand long-term data for canal-based glaucoma surgery
In glaucoma, pressure may be the problem, but time is often the real adversary. Three newly published manuscripts now offer a longer look at how the OMNI Surgical System with TruSync Technology performs in real-world settings, including standalone procedures, cataract combinations and a large cohort of African American patients who historically shoulder a disproportionate share of glaucoma burden.1
A broader window into canal-based care
Sight Sciences (Menlo Park, California, USA) announced that the Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, Journal of Glaucoma and Clinical Ophthalmology have each published new outcomes on OMNI.
Across the three reports, the theme is durability: pressure lowering that holds steady and medication use that declines over two to three years, regardless of surgical setting. These findings arrive at a moment when canal-based intervention is increasingly discussed not as a late-stage rescue, but as an early strategic choice.
Voices from the operating room
“We are proud to continuously support the study of interventional glaucoma treatment, especially in highlighting critical groups of patients that may benefit from active surgical interventions,” said Paul Badawi, CEO of Sight Sciences. “These results demonstrate that when surgeons are given the right solutions, they are able to reduce a patient’s intraocular pressure and reliance on medication and maintain those reductions over an extended period of time.”
READ MORE: When a Glaucoma Diagnosis Hits Home: Beyond Pressure Points and into Patient Lives
Dr. Leon Herndon of Duke University Eye Center emphasized the value of consistency across patient groups: “Whether undergoing cataract surgery, already pseudophakic or belonging to groups at historically higher risk for glaucoma, it is important to have effective tools used especially for mild and moderate patients.”
Inside the outflow highway
OMNI with TruSync combines canaloplasty and trabeculotomy within a single, implant-free system. The device targets resistance points in Schlemm’s canal and the trabecular meshwork, restoring the conventional outflow pathway much like clearing a riverbed that has slowly, quietly silted in over time.
By working with the anatomy rather than leaving hardware behind, the system fits into a growing interest in procedural approaches that preserve downstream flexibility.
Study 1: A clear look at standalone OMNI over 24 months
Published in the Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, the first study followed 18 pseudophakic eyes through a rigorously controlled design with full medication washouts at baseline, Month 12 and Month 24.2
This controlled 24-month study began with a baseline mean IOP of 26.1 mmHg. After OMNI treatment, pressures fell 9.7 mmHg at Month 12 and 10.6 mmHg at Month 24 (both p<0.001). Medications decreased from 1.8 at baseline to 0.9 at Month 12 and 0.5 at Month 24, with approximately 67% of patients medication-free at Month 24.
Study 2: A real-world look at nearly 13,000 African American eyes
The second publication, appearing in the Journal of Glaucoma, draws from nearly 13,000 African American eyes undergoing cataract surgery with or without MIGS. It compares cataract surgery alone with three MIGS procedures performed concurrently: OMNI, iStent inject and Hydrus Microstent.3
This large-scale analysis compared cataract surgery alone with cataract surgery plus MIGS in African American patients. All MIGS groups demonstrated greater IOP reduction than cataract surgery alone, with OMNI showing the highest proportion of eyes achieving at least a 20% reduction from baseline.
READ MORE: Research Illuminates Gender and Racial Disparities in Ophthalmology Resident Surgical Volume
Study 3: Long-term standalone results across disease severity
Published in Clinical Ophthalmology, the third study evaluated 220 eyes undergoing standalone OMNI across mild, moderate and severe primary open-angle glaucoma.4 Patients were followed up to three years, with consistent, clinically meaningful pressure reductions maintained through the entire period.
In this standalone OMNI cohort, significant IOP reductions were maintained through three years across mild, moderate and severe primary open-angle glaucoma. Outcomes were similar in phakic and pseudophakic eyes, suggesting that lens status did not substantially influence response.
A treatment landscape in motion
The three publications collectively underscore a broader trend: MIGS is becoming less of a final stepping stone and more of a flexible pathway early in disease management. Canal-based approaches like OMNI offer an option that addresses outflow resistance without leaving permanent implants behind, and the new evidence supports its use in both standalone and cataract settings as well as in high-risk populations.
READ MORE: Expanding the Role of MIGS in Clinical Practice | Prof. Ike Ahmed & Prof. Dan Lindfield
Where it might lead next
Each of the studies has limitations, ranging from small prospective cohorts to the inherent variability of registry data. Even so, the convergence of findings points toward a reproducible pattern of durable pressure reduction and medication relief across a wide clinical spectrum.
Editor’s Note: This content is intended exclusively for healthcare professionals. It is not intended for the general public. Products or therapies discussed may not be registered or approved in all jurisdictions, including Singapore.
References
- Sight Sciences. New peer-reviewed publications highlight effectiveness of OMNI® Surgical System with TruSync™ Technology in reducing IOP and medication usage in cataract combination procedures, standalone procedures, and in African Americans [news release]. November 11, 2025. Available at: https://investors.sightsciences.com/news-releases/news-release-details/new-peer-reviewed-publications-highlight-effectiveness-omnir. Accessed on November 14, 2025.
- Olander K, Gallardo MJ, Samuelson TW, et al. Viscodilation of Schlemm’s canal and trabeculotomy for reducing intraocular pressure and medication use in pseudophakic eyes. J Cataract Refract Surg. 2025;:ePub ahead of print.
- Mbagwu M, Garcia KM, Herndon L, et al. Ab interno minimally invasive glaucoma surgery effectiveness in Black patients: IRIS Registry study. J Glaucoma. 2025:In press.
- Pyfer MF, Funke C, Mosaed S, et al. Standalone canaloplasty and trabeculotomy using the OMNI surgical system: A subgroup analysis from the American Academy of Ophthalmology IRIS registry (Intelligent Research in Sight). Clin Ophthalmol. 2025;19:4043-4052.