Active clinical trials for "Corneal Injuries"

Aim of this study is to investigate the effect of Chitosan-N-acetylcysteine (C-NAC; Lacrimera®, Croma-Pharma GmbH, Leobendorf, Austria) in patients with corneal abrasion less than one third of the corneal surface on subjective pain sensation.

Corneal abrasions are associated with significant discomfort during a 24-48 hrs healing phase. Current practice guidelines discourage the use of topical anesthetics in treating these patients due to concerns that these medications may prevent proper corneal epithelial healing. These concerns are based primarily on decades old animal based research. However, recent evidence suggests topical anaesthetics are a safe and effective way of managing patient pain in the short term. This study will investigate the effect of topical 0.5% tetracaine on corneal healing and pain management in patients with corneal abrasions in the first 48 hours. This will be a prospective, double blind, randomized, controlled study of 260 adults with uncomplicated acute corneal injuries presenting to the tertiary acute care settings in Kingston. Patients will be randomly assigned to receive either 0.5% tetracaine or saline in addition to usual care as outpatients. They will be followed through the ophthalmology emergency eye clinic to assess healing at 36-48hrs. after the acute care visit. The primary outcome will be an assessment of pain as measured every 4 hours for 48 hrs. using a 10mm Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Secondary outcomes will include assessments of corneal healing, use of adjunct pain medications, time lost from work/usual activities, quality of sleep, ability to read and the SF12 quality of life questionnaire. This study will better inform the safety and effectiveness of short-term tetracaine usage in patients with simple corneal abrasions for optimal treatment of patients in the future.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and performance of the EYEMATE system in patients undergoing concomitant implantation of a BKPro type 1 and an EYEMATE sensor over the 24 months period beginning at implantation.

This is a investigative initiated, comparative pilot clinical trial to ascertain the safety of application of ex-vivo cultivated limbal stem cells in human eyes for treating different superficial corneal pathologies. Pre-clinical work in murine models have already demonstrated efficacy of this technique in curing murine corneal pathologies.

This study proposes to investigate the transplantation of ex-vivo cultivated allogenic limbal stromal cells for the treatment of the corneal pathologies. The limbus is an ideal source as the stem cells are numerous and located very superficially in the tissue (17). Pre-clinical work suggests human corneal stromal stem cells can be isolated from the cadaveric tissues, cultivated in conditions suitable for cell based therapy and used to prevent fibrosis in a murine model of corneal stromal scarring. Further, these cells are able to successfully engraft, differentiate, and mediate wound healing in the corneal stroma such that the tissue remains healthy, free of fibrotic tissue, and optically transparent. The clinical implications of these findings are substantial in that it represents the potential to lessen the burden on donor tissue necessary for corneal allografts by using cultured cells to regenerate tissue. We foresee the ability of a clinician to and grow and expand the cells in number and after surgically removing the scar tissue from the wounded eye, apply the cultured limbal stem cells to regenerate healthy, transparent tissue.

This is a investigator-initiated pilot clinical trial to ascertain the safety and efficacy of application of ex-vivo cultivated limbal stem cells in human eyes for treating Corneal Haze after Photo-Therapeutic/Refractive Keratectomy (PTK/ PRK) and Collagen Cross Linking (CXL). Instead of using adjunctive medical therapy like application of MMC (Mitomycin), a technique of cell delivery with fibrin sealant can be used. These cells are harvested from therapeutically accepted and serologically tested cadaveric corneas. The isolated limbal epithelial and mesenchymal or stromal cell suspension will then be cultured in CGMP laboratories and be tested for sterlity. These cells have also been shown to be effective in treating haze in laser refractive surgery in an animal model. Our initial experience of using these cells in a previous clinical trial showed that they were effective in preventing corneal haze in patients with burns and ulcers.

Corneal abrasion (CA) is one of the most common eye injuries, accounting for 10% of eye-related emergency visits.1 A 1985 survey showed that around 3% of all visits to US general practitioners were for corneal abrasions. In addition, in 2008, approximately 27,450 work-related eye injuries and illnesses occurred that caused missed time from work.1Due to the large number of nerve endings even small corneal injuries can produce significant pain. The discomfort is typically most pronounced in the first 24-48 hours, and in many cases showed a loss in time at work and disruption of daily activities. The current standard of care in the emergency department includes topical analgesia and antibiotics with a change to oral analgesics upon discharge. Despite the ineffectiveness of oral analgesics in treating CA pain, most physicians do not prescribe topical analgesics based on standard medical teaching. The study's aim is to further investigate the role of tetracaine in the outpatient management of CA utilizing models already established to ensure safety. To accomplish this investigators will employ a prospective, double blind, randomized control model to compare undiluted 1% tetracaine hydrochloride to normal saline in patients presenting to the ED with uncomplicated corneal abrasions. Tetracaine will be supplied in three plastic prefilled, commercially available vials, each containing 0.5 mL of preservative-free, undiluted 1% tetracaine hydrochloride (a total of 1.5 mL or approximately 50 drops will be provide to avoid overuse). Saline will also be supplied in three plastic prefilled, commercially available vials, plastic bullets. Follow up visits or calls will be provide at 48 hour to reevaluate symptoms an asses the patients perceived pain using VAS provided in participant introduction packet during the informed consent process.

This is a randomized controlled trial that seeks to examine the effectiveness of Eyeprotx™ protective goggles in comparison to traditional methods against ocular injury that can occur perioperatively under general anesthesia.

Two percent of all patients presenting to the Emergency Departments have complaints involving the eye. Corneal abrasions are a common diagnosis with patients with eye pain and often cause significant discomfort. Current treatment includes a thorough evaluation of the eye followed by patching, empiric antibiotics, cycloplegics and oral pain medicines. This study will be a randomized controlled trial to determine the safety and efficacy of BCLs. It will involve the initial patient evaluation followed by a return visit to the Emergency Department within 36 hours for re-examination. At each visit, the patient will be assessed for the size and location of the abrasion along with their report of pain using a visual analog scale. Data will be recorded on a standard data collection sheet. Telephone contact will be made at 30 days to ensure resolution of abrasion and that no complications ensued.

The purpose of this study is to identify the incidence of scratches on the surface of the eye in children who cannot blink due to medication use and to identify how best to reduce the risk of a scratch on the surface of the eye when patients are using specific medicines.