Reducing Pain From Retinal Laser With Vibrational Stimulation

October 27, 2025 updated by: University of Alberta

Alleviating Panretinal Photocoagulation Associated Ocular Pain With Vibratory Stimulation

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if Vibration Anesthesia Device works to reduce pain during retinal laser for diabetic retinopathy. The main question it aims to answer is:

Does the Vibration Anesthesia Device reduces the pain felt by patients during the laser treatment? Researchers will compare the standard method (no vibration device) to the standard method with the Vibration Anesthesia Device to see if the device works to reduce discomfort during treatment.

Eligible participants will have both eyes treated as required, one eye with the device and the other one without. Both the side that will be treated with the device in place and the first side to be treated will be decided by random sequence.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet recruiting

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

Background:

Panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) is a widely used laser treatment for proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). However, the associated ocular pain can make the procedure uncomfortable, leading to increased treatment visits or missed appointments. This pain is multifactorial and can be exacerbated by factors such as anxiety and hypervigilance. Traditional pain management techniques, such as regional anesthesia, are effective but invasive and carry potential complications. Oral medications have largely proven ineffective in alleviating PRP-related pain.

The Gate-Control Theory of pain posits that non-noxious stimuli can inhibit pain signals by activating A-β fibers, effectively "closing the gate" to pain transmission through A-δ and C fibers. The most relatable example is the mother rubbing a child's knee after an impact injury in the affected region. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) which utilizes the Gate-Control Theory of pain, has been shown to reduce ocular pain during PRP. However, its use raises practical concerns, including the need to carefully adjust pulse width, intensity, and frequency for effective pain relief. Additionally, some patients may find the muscular contractions or paresthesia uncomfortable. TENS is also contraindicated in individuals who are pregnant, have epilepsy, or have pacemakers. Vibratory stimulation activates cutaneous mechanoreceptors to reduce pain during intramuscular and subcutaneous injections. This technique is safer and less invasive than TENS and is therefore an ideal candidate for evaluating its effect in pain reduction during PRP. This study has the potential for an innovative concept by utilizing a vibratory device integrated within the PRP machine headrest.

Hypothesis:

Vibratory stimulation is expected to reduce ocular pain during PRP by activating cutaneous mechanoreceptors and inhibiting pain transmission, as suggested by the Gate-Control Theory. Its non-invasive nature makes it a practical alternative to traditional pain management methods, potentially enhancing patient comfort during the procedure.

Objective:

To evaluate the effectiveness of vibratory stimulation in reducing ocular pain during PRP treatments

Method:

Subjects will be recruited at a single tertiary referral center (Alberta Retina Consultants, Edmonton, Alberta). Matriculation will be established upon obtainment of consent, and patients will have the autonomy to withdraw from the study at any stage. The enrollment period will be from October 2024 to March 2025, with a total of 50 patients.

Laser settings will be tailored to each patient based on individual differences in pigmentation and tissue uptake. The threshold for treatment will be determined by observing an opacified photothermic response. For each patient, one eye will be treated without vibratory stimulation, while the contralateral eye will receive stimulation using the Blaine Labs Vibration Anesthesia Device. The assignment of which eye receives which treatment will be randomized using Python programming, ensuring a balanced allocation. To minimize variability, the time taken to perform PRP on both eyes will be kept as equal as possible. A no-treatment zone of 1 clock hour from the horizontal meridian will be maintained to avoid the long ciliary nerves. After treatment, patients will complete a validated survey based on the numeric rating scale (NRS) to assess pain levels for each eye treated.

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 (Estimated)

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.
50

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 Locations

  • Canada
    • Alberta
      • Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, T5H 0X5
        • Alberta Retina Consultant
        • Contact:

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

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Treatment naïve patients
  • Bilateral PRP for proliferative diabetic retinopathy required
  • >500 applications to each eye
  • < 51 applications difference between each eye, in the superior or inferior hemisphere.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Poor pupil dilation < 5mm
  • Media opacity preventing laser

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: Supportive Care
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
  • Masking: Single

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.
Experimental: PRP with the Vibration Anesthesia Device
Laser for PRP treatment as usual, but with the addition of the Vibration Device in one of the two eyes of a patient (The other eye receiving the same laser treatment without the device).
Device: Vibration Anesthesia Device
The intervention arm of this study is distinguished by way of the use of the Vibration Anesthesia Device
Procedure: Panretinal Photocoagulation
Laser treatment for diabetic retinopathy done in a standard fashion
Active Comparator: PRP without the Vibration Anesthesia Device
Laser for PRP treatment as usual in one of the two eyes of a patient (other eye receiving the same treatment, but with the Vibration Device).
Procedure: Panretinal Photocoagulation
Laser treatment for diabetic retinopathy done in a standard fashion

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
Pain Rating Scale
Time Frame: At time of enrolment
Patient are enrolled on the same day as the study treatment. Patients will rate their pain sensation. They will have their first eye (left or right and with or without the Anesthesia Vibration Device based on randomization) treated, then they will assess their pain sensation. After this assessment, during the same session, their second eye will be treated and they will be asked to complete the same assessment for this second eye. The provided form to assess this outcome is a numeric scale from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst possible pain) using the Wong-Baker Faces scale.
At time of enrolment

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.
University of Alberta

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Alberta Retina Consultant

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: Matthew Tennant, MD, FRCSC, University of Alberta

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 (Estimated)

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.
October 15, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

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.
April 1, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

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.
May 1, 2027

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).
October 7, 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.
October 14, 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.
October 21, 2024

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimated)

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.
October 29, 2025

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.
October 27, 2025

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.
October 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

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.
  • Pro00144813

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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