A surgical implant device for treating glaucoma includes an elongate duct
structure formed from a material comprising polyisobutylene and a glassy
segment. The material of the elongate duct structure preferably has a
general block structure with a central elastomeric polyolefinic block and
thermoplastic end blocks (e.g., a triblock polymer backbone comprising
polystyrene-polyisobutylene-polystyrene). The elongate duct structure
provides a fluid passageway for diverting aqueous humor from the anterior
chamber of the eye. Preferably, the elongate duct structure defines a
lumen channel having an inside diameter between 0.05 mm and 0.3 mm. The
material of the elongate duct structure is biocompatible and biostable.
Moreover, the material will not encapsulate in the eye and thus provides
an unobstructed flowpath that diverts aqueous humor from the anterior
chamber. Different embodiments of the implant device divert the aqueous
humor to different parts of the eye (e.g., a space between the conjuctiva
and sclera, Schlemm's canal, or a fluid reservoir formed on a posterior
surface of the eye).