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CompletedNCT03318874Updated Nov 22, 2021

Optimization of the Treatment of Dry Eye Disease Caused by Meibomian Gland Dysfunction

A Phase 4 interventional study of Blephasteam and THERA°PEARL Eye Mask in Dry Eye Syndromes and Meibomian Gland Dysfunction, sponsored by Oslo University Hospital. Completed at 1 site in Norway. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2021-11-22.

Sponsored by Oslo University Hospital · Phase 4, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Phase 4
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
70
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

An open label, randomized controlled study in a Norwegian population with meibomian gland dysfunction. Patients will be randomized to one of two groups: THERA°PEARL Eye Mask (Bausch \& Lomb Inc., New York, USA) or Blephasteam® (Spectrum Thea Pharmaceuticals LTD, Macclesfield, UK). All patients will receive Hylo-comod (URSAPHARM Arzneimittel GmbH, Saarbrücken, Germany).

02

Conditions studied

  • Dry Eye Syndromes
  • Meibomian Gland Dysfunction

Keywords

  • Dry Eye Disease
  • Meibomian Gland Dysfunction
  • Blephasteam
  • THERA°PEARL Eye Mask
03

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • Meibomian Gland Dysfunction
  • Eligible for heat treatment
  • Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) >12
  • Quality or expressibility score ≤20 years old: >1 or >20 years old: ≥1
  • Non-invasive tear film break-up time (NITBUT) \<10 s in at least one eye
  • Schirmer-1 test >5 mm after 5 min

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Glaucoma,
  • Ocular allergy
  • Autoimmune disease
  • Contact lens-wear during study
  • Current punctal plugging
  • Pregnant/lactating
  • Candidate for topical anti-inflammatory
  • Cicatricial meibomian gland dysfunction
04

Study design

Phase
Phase 4
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
70 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Blephasteam

    Heat delivery device, to be used according to guidelines from manufacturer.

    Device: Blephasteam · Drug: Hylo-comod

  • Active comparator
    THERA°PEARL Eye Mask

    Heat delivery device, to be used according to guidelines from manufacturer.

    Device: THERA°PEARL Eye Mask · Drug: Hylo-comod

Interventions

  • DeviceBlephasteam

    Steam delivery goggles, once daily

  • DeviceTHERA°PEARL Eye Mask

    Heat delivery device, delivering heat to the eyelids, once daily

  • DrugHylo-comod

    Tear substitute containing hyaluronic acid, four times daily

    Also known as: Sodium hyaluronate

05

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Tear film break-up time

    Fluorescein applied to tear film, time measured until tear film breaks up after blink. Range of scale from 1 second and higher, where higher values are considered preferable for the patients. Values under 10 seconds are indicative for dry eye disease.

    Time frame: Change from baseline at three and six months

Secondary outcomes

  1. Ocular Surface Disease Index

    Dry Eye Self reported Questionnaire, score ranging from 0-100, where lower values are considered preferable for the patients, indicating less symptoms. Values over 12 are indicative for dry eye disease.

    Time frame: Change from baseline at three and six months

  2. McMonnies Questionnaire

    Dry Eye Self reported Questionnaire. Index ranges from 0 to 45, where a higher score is regarded as more indicative of dry eye disease. A cut-point of greater than 14.5 is recommended for a dry eye diagnosis.

    Time frame: Change from baseline at three and six months

  3. Ocular surface staining Ocular surface staining

    Fluorescein applied to tear film, staining scored after the Oxford staining scheme, values ranging from 0-15, lower values are considered better for the patient.

    Time frame: Change from baseline at three and six months

  4. Tear cytokine levels

    Multiplex analysis of tear fluid

    Time frame: Change from baseline at three and six months

  5. Schirmer's test

    Measurement of 5 minutes of tear production, values ranging from 0 and higher, where lower values are considered worse for the patient. Values under 5 mm are indicative for dry eye disease.

    Time frame: Change from baseline at three and six months

  6. Meibum Quality

    Guidelines based on MGD-report of 2011, values ranging from 0-24, where lower values are considered better for the patient, indicating the quality of the meibum secretion.

    Time frame: Change from baseline at three and six months

  7. Meibum Expressibility

    Guidelines based on MGD-report of 2011, values ranging from 0-3, where lower values are considered better for the patient, indicating open meibomian glands.

    Time frame: Change from baseline at three and six months

  8. Tear osmolarity

    Osmolarity measured with TearLab, where values under 300 mOsml/L are considered normal.

    Time frame: Change from baseline at three and six months

06

Study locations

1 site
  • The Norwegian Dry Eye Clinic
    Oslo, 0369, Norway
07

References and documents

Publications

  • Olafsson J, Lai X, Landsend ECS, Olafsson S, Parissi E, Utheim OA, Raeder S, Badian RA, Lagali N, Dartt DA, Utheim TP. TheraPearl Eye Mask and Blephasteam for the treatment of meibomian gland dysfunction: a randomized, comparative clinical trial. Sci Rep. 2021 Nov 17;11(1):22386. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-01899-8. PubMed 34789807 ↗

Study documents

  • Protocol and statistical analysis plan · Oct 11, 2017

Documents are hosted by the registry — open the source record to download them.

Individual participant data

Plan to share: Undecided

08

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT03318874
Lead sponsor
Oslo University Hospital
Collaborators
Schepens Eye Research Institute, The Norwegian Dry Eye Clinic
Responsible party
Jonatan Olafsson (Medical Student, Oslo University Hospital) — Principal investigator
First posted
Oct 24, 2017
Start date
Oct 19, 2017
Primary completion
Apr 15, 2020
Completion
Nov 17, 2021
Last update
Nov 22, 2021

Study contacts

Tor P Uthiem, MD, Phd.
principal investigator · Oslo University Hospital

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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