EpiphoraPhase 4NCT04229771
Does Topical Ophthalmic Anesthetic Prior to Probing and Irrigation Decrease Pain?
A Phase 4 study testing Proparacaine Hydrochloride ophthalmic solution, USP 0.5% and Balanced salt solution in people with Epiphora and Dacryostenosis, run by Corewell Health East at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
Purpose: It is unknown whether instillation of a drop of anesthetic ophthalmic solution into the eye such as proparacaine hydrochloride 0.5% prior to probing and irrigation of the tear duct (lacrimal drainage) system improves participant comfort during the procedure. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Epiphora, Dacryostenosis, Dacryocystitis
- What is being tested?
- Proparacaine Hydrochloride ophthalmic solution, USP 0.5% and Balanced salt solution
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 2 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 30 Jun 2020to 30 Nov 2020
- Phase
- Phase 4
- Are there results?
- Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Participants of any sex aged 18 years or older
- Signs and symptoms of epiphora which necessitate performance of a diagnostic probing and irrigation of the bilateral lower eyelid lacrimal drainage system at Beaumont Royal Oak or any of the listed physician offices who present with a chief complaint of epiphora from either eye
Who cannot join
- A known allergy to topical proparacaine hydrochloride
- Known pre-existing scarring, surgery, radiation to the nasolacrimal system
- Presence of blockage and or reflux on probing and irrigation of either side
- Cognitive Impairment
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Does Administration of Proparacaine Hydrochloride 0.5% Ophthalmic Solution Prior to Canalicular Probing and Irrigation Decrease Patient Discomfort
Purpose: It is unknown whether instillation of a drop of anesthetic ophthalmic solution into the eye such as proparacaine hydrochloride 0.5% prior to probing and irrigation of the tear duct (lacrimal drainage) system improves participant comfort during the procedure. To date, there have been no formal studies evaluating the possible benefit of this pretreatment.
Methods: Participants 18 years and older who present to the William Beaumont Hospital - Royal Oak, Michigan outpatient ophthalmology clinic with a chief complaint of epiphora (excessive tearing) who necessitate bilateral lower lid probing and irrigation of the lacrimal drainage system will be enrolled in the study. One eye will be randomized to receive a drop of the anesthetic Proparacaine hydrochloride 0.5% and the other eye will receive a control drop of Balanced Salt Solution (BSS). Probing and irrigation will then be performed in the usual fashion. The participant will then be questioned via survey on a pain scale of 1-5 as to the amount of subjective pain experienced on each side during the procedure.
Expected Results: Investigators expect participants will experience statistically significantly less pain in eyes that have received a drop of Proparacaine hydrochloride 0.5% prior to performance of probing and irrigation compared to the eyes which have received the control drop.
Read the detailed description
Rationale: It is common for male and female adults of all races with a chief complaint of epiphora (excessive tearing) to express discomfort either verbally or through body language while undergoing tear duct (canalicular) probing and irrigation even when no pathology is detected. Use of a topical anesthetic during canalicular probing and irrigation is seen in children but has yet to be formally investigated in adults to date. The goal of this study is to identify whether or not instillation of a drop of Proparacaine hydrochloride 0.5% ophthalmic solution into a participant's eye prior to performance of probing and irrigation will improve participant comfort during the procedure and is therefore recommended.
Hypothesis: Administration of a drop of Proparacaine hydrochloride 0.5% ophthalmic solution into the eye prior to probing and irrigation of the lower lid canalicular system will decrease discomfort as compared to a control drop of BSS ophthalmic solution into the opposite eye prior to the same procedure.
Null hypothesis: Administration of a drop of Proparacaine hydrochloride 0.5% ophthalmic solution does not have an effect on discomfort during canalicular probing and irrigation.
Medication: Proparacaine hydrochloride ophthalmic solution, United States Pharmacopeia (USP) 0.5% is a local anesthetic drug intended for topical ophthalmic use. Proparacaine Hydrochloride ophthalmic solution is a fast-acting anesthetic lasting 10-20 minutes. Proparacaine hydrochloride ophthalmic solution, USP 0.5% is FDA approved for this indication.
Probing and irrigation: A common in-office ophthalmic procedure performed with a small gauge, blunt tube on a syringe filled with BSS. The cannula is placed into the canaliculus (tear duct) of one eyelid, and the BSS is used to irrigate the lacrimal system. This procedure identifies whether or not obstruction of the lacrimal system is present. A participant with an open (patent) system will taste the salty BSS solution in the nose. A participant with a nasolacrimal duct obstruction (NLDO) or a more proximal canalicular obstruction will have reflux of the irrigant out of the opposite lid (on the same side) canaliculus, the probed canaliculus, or both and will usually not detect any irrigant within the nasopharynx.
Definitions:
Nasolacrimal drainage system: The physiologic apparatus which drains tears from the surface of the eye into the nose (i.e. the tear drain). It consists of (from eye to nose) the punctum (opening of the tube), the canaliculus (a thin tube within the eyelid), the lacrimal sac (a sac that hold the tears that lies within the bone of the nose) and finally the nasolacrimal duct (a duct that connects the lacrimal sac (-lacrimal) into the nose (naso-). A blockage anywhere along this pathway can cause epiphora.
Epiphora: The pathological process of tears overflowing from the ocular surface and rolling down the face. Commonly caused by obstructions of the lacrimal drainage system. Can cause significant irritation and loss of vision.
- Conditions
- Epiphora, Dacryostenosis, Dacryocystitis
- Being tested
- Proparacaine Hydrochloride ophthalmic solution, USP 0.5%, Balanced salt solution
- Keywords
- Nasolacrimal duct obstruction, Probe and irrigation
- Medical subject headings
- Lacrimal Apparatus Diseases, Dacryocystitis, Lacrimal Duct Obstruction
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Proparacaine Hydrochloride ophthalmic solution, USP 0.5%Drug
Also called Alcaine
One drop instilled in one eye, randomly chosen, as topical anesthetic
Balanced salt solutionDrug
Also called BSS
One drop instilled in one eye, randomly chosen, as control placebo
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Participants who received proparacaine hydrochloride solution in left eye and placebo in right eye | Experimental | Participants receiving a drop of Proparacaine Hydrocholoride 0.5% ophthalmic solution in left eye and a drop of basic salt solution (BSS, placebo) in the right eye prior to probing and irrigation. Receives: Drug: Proparacaine Hydrochloride ophthalmic solution, USP 0.5%; Drug: Balanced salt solution |
| Participants who received proparacaine hydrochloride solution in right eye and placebo in left eye | Experimental | Participants receiving a drop of Proparacaine Hydrocholoride 0.5% ophthalmic solution in right eye and a drop of basic salt solution (BSS, placebo) in the left prior to probing and irrigation. Receives: Drug: Proparacaine Hydrochloride ophthalmic solution, USP 0.5%; Drug: Balanced salt solution |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Count of Participants Who Report of Less Discomfort in the Eye That Received the Proparacaine Hydrochloride Anesthetic During Probing
Participants completed a survey which asked which procedure was more uncomfortable (left or right). Assignment to receive proparacaine hydrochloride was compared to survey results. When the participant reported less discomfort in the eye that received the proparacaine hydrochloride medication, this is is reported as concordance between reduction of pain/discomfort and anesthetic use.
Measured: 1 minute
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted18 Jan 2020
- Study start30 Jun 2020
- Primary completion30 Nov 2020
- Study completion30 Nov 2020
Why it stopped: slow enrollment
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, outcome measures and adverse events reported by the sponsor.
- Other trials for EpiphoraStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase 4
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- A double-blinded, randomized, controlled clinical trial with one eye of each participant receiving the experimental treatment and one eye acting as control, receiving placebo
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Care provider
- Enrolment
- 2 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Corewell Health East
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Dianne Schlachter MD, Corewell Health East
- Investigators
- Dianne M Schlachter, MD, Principal investigator, Corewell Health East
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04229771
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2019-216
- Status last verified
- Dec 2022
- First submitted
- 9 Jan 2020
- Last updated
- 19 Jan 2023
- Results posted
- Yes, on ClinicalTrials.gov
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- Yes
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: No individual participant data to be shared
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 19 Jan 2023. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Does Administration of Proparacaine Hydrochloride 0.5% Ophthalmic Solution Prior to Canalicular Probing and Irrigation Decrease Patient Discomfort
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04229771
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 2019-216
- Conditions
- Epiphora, Dacryostenosis, Dacryocystitis
- Keywords
- Nasolacrimal duct obstruction, Probe and irrigation
- Phase
- Phase 4
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- TerminatedReason stopped: slow enrollment
- Enrolment
- 2 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Corewell Health EastUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 30 Jun 2020 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 30 Nov 2020 (actual)
- Study completion
- 30 Nov 2020 (actual)
- First posted
- 18 Jan 2020 (actual)
- Results
- Posted 19 Jan 2023
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Purpose: It is unknown whether instillation of a drop of anesthetic ophthalmic solution into the eye such as proparacaine hydrochloride 0.5% prior to probing and irrigation of the tear duct (lacrimal drainage) system improves participant comfort during the procedure. To date, there have been no formal studies evaluating the possible benefit of this pretreatment.
Methods: Participants 18 years and older who present to the William Beaumont Hospital - Royal Oak, Michigan outpatient ophthalmology clinic with a chief complaint of epiphora (excessive tearing) who necessitate bilateral lower lid probing and irrigation of the lacrimal drainage system will be enrolled in the study. One eye will be randomized to receive a drop of the anesthetic Proparacaine hydrochloride 0.5% and the other eye will receive a control drop of Balanced Salt Solution (BSS). Probing and irrigation will then be performed in the usual fashion. The participant will then be questioned via survey on a pain scale of 1-5 as to the amount of subjective pain experienced on each side during the procedure.
Expected Results: Investigators expect participants will experience statistically significantly less pain in eyes that have received a drop of Proparacaine hydrochloride 0.5% prior to performance of probing and irrigation compared to the eyes which have received the control drop.
Detailed description
Rationale: It is common for male and female adults of all races with a chief complaint of epiphora (excessive tearing) to express discomfort either verbally or through body language while undergoing tear duct (canalicular) probing and irrigation even when no pathology is detected. Use of a topical anesthetic during canalicular probing and irrigation is seen in children but has yet to be formally investigated in adults to date. The goal of this study is to identify whether or not instillation of a drop of Proparacaine hydrochloride 0.5% ophthalmic solution into a participant's eye prior to performance of probing and irrigation will improve participant comfort during the procedure and is therefore recommended.
Hypothesis: Administration of a drop of Proparacaine hydrochloride 0.5% ophthalmic solution into the eye prior to probing and irrigation of the lower lid canalicular system will decrease discomfort as compared to a control drop of BSS ophthalmic solution into the opposite eye prior to the same procedure.
Null hypothesis: Administration of a drop of Proparacaine hydrochloride 0.5% ophthalmic solution does not have an effect on discomfort during canalicular probing and irrigation.
Medication: Proparacaine hydrochloride ophthalmic solution, United States Pharmacopeia (USP) 0.5% is a local anesthetic drug intended for topical ophthalmic use. Proparacaine Hydrochloride ophthalmic solution is a fast-acting anesthetic lasting 10-20 minutes. Proparacaine hydrochloride ophthalmic solution, USP 0.5% is FDA approved for this indication.
Probing and irrigation: A common in-office ophthalmic procedure performed with a small gauge, blunt tube on a syringe filled with BSS. The cannula is placed into the canaliculus (tear duct) of one eyelid, and the BSS is used to irrigate the lacrimal system. This procedure identifies whether or not obstruction of the lacrimal system is present. A participant with an open (patent) system will taste the salty BSS solution in the nose. A participant with a nasolacrimal duct obstruction (NLDO) or a more proximal canalicular obstruction will have reflux of the irrigant out of the opposite lid (on the same side) canaliculus, the probed canaliculus, or both and will usually not detect any irrigant within the nasopharynx.
Definitions:
Nasolacrimal drainage system: The physiologic apparatus which drains tears from the surface of the eye into the nose (i.e. the tear drain). It consists of (from eye to nose) the punctum (opening of the tube), the canaliculus (a thin tube within the eyelid), the lacrimal sac (a sac that hold the tears that lies within the bone of the nose) and finally the nasolacrimal duct (a duct that connects the lacrimal sac (-lacrimal) into the nose (naso-). A blockage anywhere along this pathway can cause epiphora.
Epiphora: The pathological process of tears overflowing from the ocular surface and rolling down the face. Commonly caused by obstructions of the lacrimal drainage system. Can cause significant irritation and loss of vision.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind (participant, care provider)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- A double-blinded, randomized, controlled clinical trial with one eye of each participant receiving the experimental treatment and one eye acting as control, receiving placebo
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Participants who received proparacaine hydrochloride solution in left eye and placebo in right eye | Experimental | Drug: Proparacaine Hydrochloride ophthalmic solution, USP 0.5%, Drug: Balanced salt solutionParticipants receiving a drop of Proparacaine Hydrocholoride 0.5% ophthalmic solution in left eye and a drop of basic salt solution (BSS, placebo) in the right eye prior to probing and irrigation. |
| Participants who received proparacaine hydrochloride solution in right eye and placebo in left eye | Experimental | Drug: Proparacaine Hydrochloride ophthalmic solution, USP 0.5%, Drug: Balanced salt solutionParticipants receiving a drop of Proparacaine Hydrocholoride 0.5% ophthalmic solution in right eye and a drop of basic salt solution (BSS, placebo) in the left prior to probing and irrigation. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Participants of any sex aged 18 years or older
- Signs and symptoms of epiphora which necessitate performance of a diagnostic probing and irrigation of the bilateral lower eyelid lacrimal drainage system at Beaumont Royal Oak or any of the listed physician offices who present with a chief complaint of epiphora from either eye
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- A known allergy to topical proparacaine hydrochloride
- Known pre-existing scarring, surgery, radiation to the nasolacrimal system
- Presence of blockage and or reflux on probing and irrigation of either side
- Cognitive Impairment
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Proparacaine Hydrochloride ophthalmic solution, USP 0.5%Also: AlcaineOne drop instilled in one eye, randomly chosen, as topical anesthetic | Drug | Participants who received proparacaine hydrochloride solution in left eye and placebo in right eye, Participants who received proparacaine hydrochloride solution in right eye and placebo in left eye |
| Balanced salt solutionAlso: BSSOne drop instilled in one eye, randomly chosen, as control placebo | Drug | Participants who received proparacaine hydrochloride solution in left eye and placebo in right eye, Participants who received proparacaine hydrochloride solution in right eye and placebo in left eye |
Primary outcome
Count of Participants Who Report of Less Discomfort in the Eye That Received the Proparacaine Hydrochloride Anesthetic During Probing
Time frame: 1 minute
Participants completed a survey which asked which procedure was more uncomfortable (left or right). Assignment to receive proparacaine hydrochloride was compared to survey results. When the participant reported less discomfort in the eye that received the proparacaine hydrochloride medication, this is is reported as concordance between reduction of pain/discomfort and anesthetic use.
Results and safety
Loading the posted results from ClinicalTrials.gov…
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 19 Jan 2023.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, baseline, all outcome measures and adverse events.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. No individual participant data to be shared
Related trials for Epiphora
RecruitingPhase 2
Low-Dose Atropine Eye Drops for Excessive Tearing (Epiphora)
Epiphora
Not yet recruiting
Outcomes of Stentless Dacryocystorhinostomy in Primary Acquired Nasolacrimal Duct Obstruction.
Nasolacrimal Duct Obstruction, Epiphora
Active, not recruitingPhase 4
A Comparative Analysis of the Effectiveness of Nepafenac Combined With a Lubricant Versus a Lubricant Alone in the Treatment of Epiphora Associated With Lacrimal Punctum Stenosis
Epiphora, Punctal Stenosis
RecruitingPhase 4
Does Topical Ophthalmic Proparacaine 0.5% Prior to Probing and Irrigation Decrease Pain?
Epiphora, Dacryostenosis
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Dianne M Schlachter, MD principal investigator
Corewell Health East
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A Phase 4 study testing Proparacaine Hydrochloride ophthalmic solution, USP 0.5% and Balanced salt solution in people with Epiphora and Dacryostenosis, run by Corewell Health East at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 2 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: stopped early, as of the sponsor's last update on 19 Jan 2023. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
What does this phase mean?
Phase 4 studies take place after a treatment is approved, to learn more about its long-term benefits and risks in everyday use.
Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.
Are results available for this study?
Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 19 Jan 2023). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Count of Participants Who Report of Less Discomfort in the Eye That Received the Proparacaine Hydrochloride Anesthetic During Probing (time frame: 1 minute). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 19 Jan 2023; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 28 Oct 2026.