Research and projects | Swiss Visio Network

With more than 50 scientific publications since 2018, the Montchoisi Glaucoma Research Center has quickly become one of the most active centers in Switzerland in this field.

Objective of the Research Department

The research department of the Glaucoma Centre in Lausanne aims to conduct cutting-edge research, enabling the development of pioneering and innovative techniques and treatments to better diagnose, treat and one day cure glaucoma.

Prof. Kaweh Mansouri - FMH Specialist in Ophthalmology and Ophthalmic surgery

eyeWatch

Invented at EPFL Lausanne, the eyeWatch is a microscopic drainage tube for glaucoma surgery equipped with a valve that can be adjusted with a magnet. Made of biocompatible materials, it reduces the post-operative risks associated with conventional surgery. It is thus the first device in the world allowing glaucoma surgery that can be modulated according to needs. Almost three years after its first implantation by Professor Mermoud at the Clinique de Montchoisi in Lausanne, its use continues to grow and international newspapers have already dedicated several articles to it. The first long-term results have recently been widely reported in the scientific literature. At the end of 2019, the eyeWatch received the CE marking (European conformity) which allows it to be marketed in European countries that recognize the label. This certification mark indicates that the health, safety and environmental protection standards are conform to the European Economic Area. In Switzerland, the Clinique de Montchoisi has exclusive rights.

OCT FLEX

Thanks to donations from generous donors, the Swiss Glaucoma Research Foundation was able to acquire the OCT FLEX imaging system, making Swiss Visio Montchoisi the third centre in the world to acquire this revolutionary system. This device allows a completely new imaging technique to be used: angiography of the aqueous humor. This examination, developed at UCLA in California, makes the channels for evacuating intraocular fluid visible and could in the future allow glaucoma surgeons to better target their interventions by adapting them specifically to the pathology of each patient.

Eyemate-SC

Eyemate-glaucome-swissvisio-montchoisi-lausanne

In September 2019, Professor Mansouri was the first surgeon in Switzerland to implant an Eyemate-SC sensor at Swiss Visio Montchoisi. This intraocular sensor is implanted into the patient's sclera during a filtering surgery for the treatment of glaucoma and subsequently allows a remote and continuous measurement of the intraocular pressure using a wireless reading device. With this new technology, patients can now measure their intraocular pressure alone at home and share all their measurements with their ophthalmologist with a single click.

INTEGRAL register

The INTEGRAL register will eventually bring together the anonymous clinical data of hundreds of glaucoma patients. The longitudinal study (over 5 to 10 years) of their evolution, with or without treatment, aims to investigate the genetic and environmental risk factors related to the development and progression of glaucoma. This study will eventually allow us to better advise patients on the risks related to their disease or the choice of the most appropriate treatment for their case.

The PERG

The PERG or 'Pattern Electroretinogram' is a technique that studies the functioning of the optic nerve, which transmits visual information from the eye to the brain. With the help of electrodes placed on the forehead and eyelids, this device detects the electrical signals emitted by the nerve cells of the retina and makes it possible to detect deficits in the cells most affected by glaucoma. Eventually this machine would have the potential to detect glaucoma earlier. Our studies on its effectiveness are in progress.

OCT-A

OCT angiography is a non-invasive technique that allows precise visualization of the deep and superficial vasculature of the retina and optic nerve. The retina is as affected by glaucoma as the nerve fibres that were previously thought to be the only ones affected. This technology should therefore allow us to better understand the causes of glaucoma and to diagnose certain cases more accurately.

TriggerFish

Invented in Lausanne, Switzerland, this 'intelligent' contact lens measures intraocular pressure continuously over a 24-hour period. A great innovation in the field of glaucoma, which makes it possible to no longer just base the estimation of pressure control on a single moment in the office, but to have a true overview of the values during the patient's daily life. Several studies have already appeared and are promising: the study of pressure variations over a day could soon complement some traditional examinations.