Adjustable flow glaucoma shunts and methods for making and using same

A shunt for treatment of glaucoma in a human patient, the shunt comprising:

• an elongated outflow drainage tube having an inflow region and an outflow region;
• and
• a transition region along the outflow tube between the inflow region and the outflow region, wherein the transition region comprises a first actuation element and a second actuation element in contact with and partially overlapping the first actuation element, and
• wherein, during operation—
• the first actuation element of the transition region is actuatable to change the transition region from a first cross-sectional shape to a second cross-sectional shape different than the first cross-sectional shape to inhibit and/or attenuate fluid flow through the outflow tube, and
• the second actuation element of the transition region is actuatable to change the transition region from the second cross-sectional shape back toward the first cross-sectional shape to increase fluid flow through the outflow tube, and
• wherein the transition region is configured to transform between the first cross-sectional shape and the second cross-sectional shape upon application of non-invasive laser energy to one or more selected areas of the transition region.

A method for treating glaucoma in a human patient, the method comprising:

• positioning a variable flow shunt within an eye of the patient, wherein the shunt comprises—
• an elongated outflow drainage tube having a proximal inflow region at a first portion of the eye and a distal outflow region at a second, different portion of the eye;
• and
• a flow control assembly carried by the elongated outflow drainage tube, wherein the flow control assembly includes a first actuation element and a second actuation element in contact with and partially overlapping each other,
• wherein the first actuation element is selectively actuatable to move the flow control assembly from a first configuration in which flow of aqueous along a flow path of the drainage tube is not impeded to a second, different configuration in which the flow of aqueous is attenuated, and
• wherein the second actuation element is selectively actuatable to move the flow control mechanism from the second configuration back toward the first configuration;
• and
• transforming the flow control assembly carried by the elongated outflow drainage tube, via laser energy from an energy source external to the patient, to pivotably move the first actuation element of the flow control assembly from the first configuration to the second configuration to selectively reduce the flow of aqueous along the flow path.