LacriFill Canalicular Occlusion for Dry Eye After LASIK

October 27, 2026 updated by: Mann Eye Institute

Impact of LacriFill Lacrimal Occlusion on Post-LASIK Dry Eye Symptoms, Ocular Surface Recovery, and Patient-Reported Visual Quality

This study is a single-site, prospective, randomized (2:1) controlled study of subjects aged 18-39 who are candidates for bilateral LASIK and have dry eye symptoms (OSDI ≥13). The LacriFill group (n=50) receives bilateral lower canalicular LacriFill placement within 7 days prior to surgery plus standard postoperative care; the control group (n=25) receives standard postoperative care only. The primary outcome is the change in Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) score from baseline to 3 months after bilateral LASIK.

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.

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.
75

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

  • United States
    • Texas
      • Houston, Texas, United States, 77004
        • Mann Eye Institute
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Phillip Brunson, OD

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

18 years to 39 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

Age 18-39 years. Bilateral LASIK candidate. OSDI ≥13. BCDVA 20/20 or better. Discontinue soft contact lenses within 5 days of surgery and RGP lenses 4 weeks prior.

Able to complete study visits.

Exclusion Criteria:

Previous ocular surgery. Keratoconus or ectasia. Autoimmune disease. Pregnancy. Uncontrolled diabetes. Significant ocular surface disease unrelated to LASIK. Active ocular infection or inflammation.

The principal investigator reserves the right to declare a patient ineligible or non-evaluable based on medical evidence that indicates they are unsuitable for the trial.

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: Basic Science
  • 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.
Experimental: LacriFill Group

Standard postoperative LASIK care plus bilateral lower canalicular LacriFill placement within 7 days prior to surgery (n=50).
Device: LacriFill Canalicular Filler

LacriFill, a crosslinked hyaluronic acid-based bioresorbable gel, instilled for bilateral lower canalicular occlusion within 7 days prior to LASIK surgery.
No Intervention: Control Group

Standard postoperative LASIK care only; no punctal plugs, LacriFill, or other canalicular occlusion before completion of the primary 3-month endpoint unless medically necessary as rescue therapy (n=25).

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 from baseline in Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) score
Time Frame: 12 weeks

The OSDI© is assessed on a scale of 0 to 100, with higher scores representing greater disability. The index demonstrates sensitivity and specificity in distinguishing between normal subjects and patients with dry eye disease. The OSDI© is a valid and reliable instrument for measuring dry eye disease (normal, mild to moderate, and severe) and effect on vision-related function.
12 weeks

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 from baseline in Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) score
Time Frame: 12 weeks

The OSDI© is assessed on a scale of 0 to 100, with higher scores representing greater disability. The index demonstrates sensitivity and specificity in distinguishing between normal subjects and patients with dry eye disease. The OSDI© is a valid and reliable instrument for measuring dry eye disease (normal, mild to moderate, and severe) and effect on vision-related function.
12 weeks
Proportion of subjects achieving ≥10-point improvement in OSDI score
Time Frame: 12 weeks

Proportion of subjects achieving an improvement of 10 points or more in OSDI score from baseline following bilateral LASIK.
12 weeks
Proportion of subjects achieving OSDI score <13
Time Frame: 12 weeks

Proportion of subjects with an OSDI score below 13 (normal range) at the 12-week postoperative visit.
12 weeks
Change from baseline in tear break-up time (TBUT)
Time Frame: 12 weeks
12 weeks
Change from baseline in corneal fluorescein staining (National Eye Institute Corneal Staining Scale)
Time Frame: 12 weeks
12 weeks
Uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA)
Time Frame: 12 weeks
12 weeks
Corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA)
Time Frame: 12 weeks
12 weeks
Manifest refraction
Time Frame: 12 weeks
12 weeks
Artificial tear usage and time to discontinuation of routine artificial tears
Time Frame: 12 weeks

Artificial tear usage, time to discontinuation of routine artificial tears, and requirement for rescue dry eye therapy through the 12-week postoperative visit.
12 weeks
Requirement for rescue dry eye therapy
Time Frame: 12 weeks

Incidence and documentation (indication, timing, treatment administered) of rescue dry eye therapy through the 12-week postoperative visit.
12 weeks

Other Outcome Measures

Other Outcome Measures

For clinical trials, a planned measurement described in the protocol that is used to determine the effect of an intervention/treatment on participants. For observational studies, a measurement or observation that is used to describe patterns of diseases or traits, or associations with exposures, risk factors, or treatment. Types of outcome measures include primary outcome measure and secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
PROWL-SS Questionnaire
Time Frame: 12 weeks

PROWL-SS can be used to assess satisfaction with vision and the existence, bothersomeness and impact on usual activities in the last 7 days of four visual symptoms - double images (8 items), glare (8 items), halos (8 items) and starbursts (8 items). Subjects select one of 6 responses for each question. Responses are scaled from 0 to 100, with 0 being a worse overall outcome and 100 being a better overall outcome for the existence, bothersomeness and impact on usual activities in the last 7 days of four visual symptoms - double images (8 items), glare (8 items), halos (8 items) and starbursts (8 items).
12 weeks
Change from baseline in iTrace Corneal Performance Index (CPI)
Time Frame: 12 weeks

Objective optical quality measure assessed at baseline and12-week postoperative visit.
12 weeks

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.
Mann Eye Institute

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.
Sengi

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: Phillip Brunson, OD, Mann Eye Institute

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.
December 9, 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.
December 31, 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.
December 31, 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 27, 2026

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 27, 2026

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.
November 3, 2026

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.
November 3, 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.
October 27, 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.
October 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.
  • PB-26-01

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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