Glaukos marked two major 10-year milestones at RANZCO 2025: a decade since it listed on the New York Stock Exchange, and 10 years since vice-president Asia and Glaukos Australasia head Glenn Fawcett established the local office in Melbourne.
The Californian ophthalmic pharma and medical technology company is a pioneer in the micro-invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) category after developing the first commercially available MIGS device, the iStent Trabecular Micro-Bypass Stent, in 2012.
Ten years ago, the company had about 150 employees globally; today it has more than 1,000 and it has sold more than 1.5 million devices, said Fawcett. He said he’s particularly proud to note that, in Australasia, he’s not had a single staff member leave since the office was established. “Those who started 10 years ago are all still here and those who joined after are also still here. It says a lot about the product and the belief we have in it, but also about Glaukos, our culture and how we treat our employees.”
Describing his Australasia team as ‘a family’, Fawcett said they celebrated in Melbourne after coming together for RANZCO 2025. The biggest buzz they get, he said, is when a surgeon messages them to tell them about their results with the iStent Inject and its newest iteration, the iStent Infinite. “We have gone from being something new, a novelty perhaps, to what was is now described as the standard of care for the right patients.”
As for the next 10 years, there is much to be excited about, Fawcett said. “There is so much innovation at Glaukos, not just in the glaucoma space, but in cornea and retina. But great products take time to develop to ensure that once they come to market they are effective, safe and meet the expectations of the surgeons and their patients. I see our team growing, our market offering expanding and our place as one of the leading ophthalmic companies continuing to evolve. But the most I can hope for is that we continue to meet the expectations of our customers and provide excellent support to the surgeons and customers we serve.”
