Patent ID: 8540659

Claim:
A method of providing an artificial passageway for fluid to flow from the anterior chamber of an eye through the trabecular meshwork, the juxtacanulicular trabecular meshwork and the inner wall of Schlemm's canal, comprising: inserting an intraocular implant from the anterior chamber of the eye through the trabecular meshwork, the juxtacanulicular trabecular meshwork and the inner wall of Schlemm's canal without substantially impinging the outer wall of Schlemm's canal, the intraocular implant having a fluid passageway there through, a distal end and a proximal end, the distal end being positioned adjacent the inner wall of Schlemm's canal and spaced from the outer wall of Schlemm's canal, and the proximal end being positioned at the anterior chamber of the eye so as to enable the fluid to flow from the anterior chamber of the eye into Schlemm's canal; and securing the intraocular implant in place so that it does not ordinarily impinge the outer wall of Schlemm's canal, thereby avoiding trauma to the outer wall of Schlemm's canal and reducing the likelihood of stimulating an inflammatory cascade and subsequent scar tissue.