Preoperative iLux on Cataract Surgery Derived Dry Eye Disease Due to Meibomian Gland Dysfunction

May 14, 2026 updated by: Keith Wroblewksi, George Washington University

The Efficacy of the Systane iLux System on Preoperative Cataract Patients on Dry Eye Disease Due to Meibomian Gland Dysfunction

This prospective study will investigate the effect of pre-operative Systane iLux system administration in treated cataract induced dry eye disease.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Eligible patients to be recruited will have scheduled upcoming senile cataract surgery. Enrolled patients in the active arm (n=25) will receive pre-operative Systane iLux treatment two weeks prior to surgery at the baseline visit. Patients in the control arm will receive no Systane iLux treatment at the baseline visit two weeks prior to cataract surgery. Patients will be assessed on baseline metrics for dry eye disease stemming and meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) at the baseline visit two weeks prior to cataract surgery. These metrics include tear break up time (TBUT), standard patient evaluation of eye dryness questionnaire (SPEED), ocular surface and surface disease index (OSDI) surveys, and lipid layer thickness (LLT). At the follow up visit four weeks after cataract surgery, these same metrics will be assessed again for any significant changes.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
30

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • United States
    • District of Columbia
      • Washington D.C., District of Columbia, United States, 20037
        • George Washington University

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age greater than 18 at the time of informed consent
  • Must understand; be willing and able, and likely to fully comply with study procedures, visit schedule, and restrictions
  • Upcoming scheduled senile cataract surgery

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Eyelid abnormalities
  • Patients with active ocular infection, active ocular inflammation or history of chronic, recurrent ocular inflammation within prior 3 months
  • Ocular surgery within the last 6 months
  • Occlusion therapy with lacrimal or punctum plugs within the last 3 months
  • Patients with an ocular surface abnormality that may compromise corneal integrity
  • Patients with ocular injury or trauma, chemical burns, or limbal stem cell deficiency (within prior 3 months)
  • Patients with cicatricial lid margin disease
  • patients with lid surface abnormalities that affect lid function in either eye; patients with aphakia
  • Patients with permanent makeup or tattoos on their eyelids.
  • Previous application/administration of Systane iLux or LipiFlow treatment

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
No Intervention: Control: No Systane iLux Treatment
No Systane iLux treatment at baseline visit two weeks prior to cataract surgery.
Experimental: Systane iLux Treatment
Systane iLux administration at baseline visit two weeks prior to cataract surgery.
Device: Systane iLux Treatment
The Systane iLux is an approved thermal pulsation device to treat dry eye disease. The application of heat and compression to both eyelids melts meibum in the obstructed glands to restore the secretion and production of meibum to the eye. The Systane iLux will only be administered to the eye to undergo cataract surgery.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Lipid Layer Thickness (LLT) From 2 Weeks Pre-operative Baseline to 4 Weeks Post-operative Follow-up
Time Frame: Baseline (2 weeks prior to cataract surgery) and 4 weeks after cataract surgery
Lipid layer thickness (LLT) was measured using LipiView II and reported in nanometers (nm). Higher values indicate a thicker lipid layer and improved tear film stability. Assessments were performed at both time points in the eye undergoing cataract surgery (one eye per participant). Change was calculated as the value at 4 weeks post-operatively minus the value at baseline. Negative values indicate a decrease from baseline.
Baseline (2 weeks prior to cataract surgery) and 4 weeks after cataract surgery

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Standard Patient Evaluation of Eye Dryness (SPEED) Questionnaire Score From 2 Weeks Pre-operative Baseline to 4 Weeks Post-operative Follow-up
Time Frame: Baseline (2 weeks prior to cataract surgery) and 4 weeks after cataract surgery
The SPEED questionnaire assesses dry eye symptom severity on a scale from 0 to 64, with higher scores indicating more severe symptoms. Assessments were performed at both time points. Change was calculated as the score at 4 weeks post-operatively minus the score at baseline. Negative values indicate improvement in symptoms.
Baseline (2 weeks prior to cataract surgery) and 4 weeks after cataract surgery
Change in Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) Questionnaire Score From 2 Weeks Pre-operative Baseline to 4 Weeks Post-operative Follow-up
Time Frame: Baseline (2 weeks prior to cataract surgery) and 4 weeks after cataract surgery
The OSDI questionnaire assesses dry eye symptom severity on a scale from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more severe symptoms. Assessments were performed at both time points. Change was calculated as the score at 4 weeks post-operatively minus the score at baseline. Negative values indicate improvement in symptoms.
Baseline (2 weeks prior to cataract surgery) and 4 weeks after cataract surgery
Change in Meibomian Gland Score From 2 Weeks Pre-operative Baseline to 4 Weeks Post-operative Follow-up
Time Frame: Baseline (2 weeks prior to cataract surgery) and 4 weeks after cataract surgery
Meibomian gland morphology was assessed using infrared meibography with the LipiView II system. Gland dropout was graded on a standardized ordinal scale from 0 to 3 (0 = no gland loss; 3 = >66% gland loss), with higher scores indicating greater structural gland loss. Assessments were performed at both time points in the eye undergoing cataract surgery (one eye per participant). Analyses were conducted at the participant level. Change was calculated as the score at 4 weeks post-operatively minus the score at baseline. Positive values indicate worsening gland loss.
Baseline (2 weeks prior to cataract surgery) and 4 weeks after cataract surgery

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
George Washington University

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Keith Wroblewski, MD, George Washington MFA

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
June 3, 2024

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
February 1, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
February 1, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
June 26, 2024

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 26, 2024

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
July 3, 2024

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
May 15, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
May 14, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • NCR245538

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

Yes

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

Yes

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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