temic steroids or
immunosuppres-
sants that surgeons
have traditionally
used to treat the
condition, says Dr.
Eichenbaum.
"Most of the immunosuppressants are effective drugs, but none of
them are benign," says Dr. Eichenbaum. "If we can achieve local con-
trol with ocular drugs, and if we can do it without frequent dosing,
that's better. That's why there's a lot of excitement about Yutiq."
It's implanted using a relatively straightforward vitreoretinal surgical
procedure that can be done in a physician's office, he adds.
The only drawback: the price. "I'm having a hard time getting it for
my patients because it's so new and extraordinarily expensive," says
Dr. Eichenbaum. "But we're working with patients' insurances and
with EyePoint Pharmaceuticals, to try to limit out-of-pocket expenses.
That's always tough with a new drug."
9 6 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • M A R C H 2 0 1 9
The compliance conundrum
Exparel can reduce opioid consumption. The other 4 sustained-release
drugs we've discussed eliminate post-op eyedrop compliance-related
concerns, welcome news to both patients and surgeons.
"As providers, we try so hard, pre-operatively and intraoperatively,
to minimize variability, to be as precise as we can, and to have control
over every possible variable," says Dr. Singh. "But then we rely on
patients to be responsible for their own healing. Ideally, that's great,
but no matter how much we explain, and write things down, and try
to get them to do the right things, we know that in real life, patients
just don't comply."
OSM
