Video: What Is Interventional Glaucoma?

Deb Ristvedt, DO, Zarmeena Vendal, MD, and Christine Funke, MD, discuss proactive care, team-based workflows, and shifting treatment earlier at the Business of Interventional Glaucoma meeting during ASCRS 2026.

By: Deborah Gess Ristvedt, DO, Zarmeena Vendal, MD, Christine Funke, MD

Glaucoma Physician April 15, 2026

5 Key Takeaways

1

Interventional glaucoma emphasizes proactive treatment to prevent disease progression rather than reactive measures.
2

The approach aims to alleviate the burden of treatment from patients by adopting early and frequent procedural interventions.
3

Collaboration among surgeons, optometrists, and administrators is crucial for effective interventional glaucoma practices.
4

Creating a unified mission and culture within practices enhances the effectiveness of interventional glaucoma care.
5

The Business of Interventional Glaucoma meetings focus on practical strategies for integrating proactive care into ophthalmology.

Deborah Gess Ristvedt

Specialties: Ophthalmology

Bio: Deborah Gess Ristvedt, DO, is an ophthalmologist and third-generation eye physician. In Ophthalmology Management, she has written about striving for excellence in ophthalmic care through staff and patient education, adoption of new procedures, efficiency improvements, and a strong practice culture. Her clinical interests discussed in the source article include surgical and technological advances in ophthalmology, including minimally invasive glaucoma surgery, cataract care, dry eye considerations, and individualized approaches that reduce treatment burden and support quality of life.

Contributions:

https://ophthalmologymanagement.com/issues/2023/september/guest-editorial/

Zarmeena Vendal, MD

Affiliations: Westlake Eye

Bio: Zarmeena Vendal, MD, is a physician at Westlake Eye in Austin, Texas, where she has practiced for 19 years. Her clinical focus includes interventional glaucoma and proactive approaches to glaucoma care. At the Business of Interventional Glaucoma meeting during ASCRS 2026, Dr. Vendal discussed shifting glaucoma treatment earlier, acting ahead of disease progression, and using interventional strategies to reduce treatment burden for patients.

Christine Funke

Affiliations: Barnet Dulaney Perkins

Specialties: Ophthalmology

Bio: Christine Funke, MD, is affiliated with Barnet Dulaney Perkins in Phoenix, Arizona, and focuses on glaucoma care. In a Glaucoma Physician discussion from the 2026 American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons meeting, she addressed interventional glaucoma and the shift toward earlier procedural treatment.

PentaVision

Glaucoma Physician

Video: What Is Interventional Glaucoma?

5 Key Takeaways

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