Immediate Effects of Lipid-Based and Non-Lipid Artificial Tears on Corneal Aberrations (ILEACT)

April 27, 2026 updated by: José-María Sánchez-González, University of Seville

Immediate Effects of Lipid-Based Artificial Tears (Mineral Oil and Hydroxypropyl Guar) and Non-Lipid Artificial Tears (Hydroxypropyl Guar) on Corneal Aberrations in Healthy Individuals

This study evaluates the immediate effects of two types of artificial tear formulations on corneal aberrations in a healthy population. The interventions include a lipid-based formulation containing mineral oil and hydroxypropyl guar, and a non-lipid formulation containing hydroxypropyl guar alone. Participants will receive a single instillation of each formulation in separate eyes, with measurements of corneal aberrations taken before and 15 minutes after instillation. The study aims to compare the optical changes induced by these formulations and assess their impact on the ocular surface quality.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

This study explores the immediate effects of two types of artificial tear formulations on corneal aberrations in healthy individuals. The primary aim is to evaluate how a lipid-based formulation containing mineral oil and hydroxypropyl guar and a non-lipid formulation containing hydroxypropyl guar alone influence optical quality shortly after instillation. The results of this research will contribute to a better understanding of how these formulations interact with the ocular surface to enhance or alter corneal optical properties.

The study will involve healthy participants aged 18 to 35 years, with no prior history of ocular surface disease, refractive surgery, or contact lens use. All participants will undergo a baseline assessment of corneal aberrations before any intervention. Each individual will then receive a single drop of the lipid-based formulation in one eye and the non-lipid formulation in the other eye. This approach allows for direct comparison between the two interventions within the same participant. Measurements of corneal aberrations will be taken 15 minutes after instillation to capture the immediate effects of each formulation on optical quality.

The study is designed as a randomized, participant-masked clinical trial to ensure unbiased results. By measuring higher-order aberrations (HOAs) with wavefront aberrometry, the research will assess how these artificial tears affect the ocular surface's optical properties. This will provide valuable insights into their potential to stabilize the tear film and enhance visual performance. The trial follows ethical guidelines and has been approved by the appropriate Institutional Review Board.

This research is important for advancing knowledge about artificial tear formulations and their role in managing ocular surface conditions. Although both formulations are commonly used in clinical practice, their specific effects on corneal aberrations immediately after application have not been thoroughly studied in a healthy population. The findings from this study will help inform healthcare providers and patients about the optical benefits and limitations of these widely used artificial tear formulations.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

40

Phase

  • Phase 4

Contacts and Locations

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

Study Locations

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

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

Healthy individuals aged 18 to 35 years. No prior history of ocular surface disease, refractive surgery, or contact lens wear.

Corrected visual acuity of 20/20 or better. Ability to provide informed consent. Willingness to comply with study procedures, including instillation of artificial tears and follow-up measurements.

Exclusion Criteria:

History of any ocular surgery or trauma within the past six months. Use of any systemic or topical medications that may affect ocular surface stability or tear film.

Any active or chronic ocular infection, inflammation, or other pathology. Known hypersensitivity or allergy to any components of the artificial tears. Pregnancy or breastfeeding. Participation in another clinical trial within the last 30 days.

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: Triple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Lipid-Based Artificial Tear Formulation
Participants in this arm will receive a single drop of a lipid-based artificial tear formulation containing mineral oil and hydroxypropyl guar in each eye. The intervention is designed to enhance the lipid layer of the tear film and will be evaluated for its immediate effects on corneal aberrations 15 minutes post-instillation.
Drug: Lipid-Based Artificial Tear
This intervention consists of a lipid-based artificial tear formulation containing mineral oil and hydroxypropyl guar. It is designed to enhance the tear film's lipid layer and improve ocular surface stability. Participants in this group will receive a single drop in each eye, and corneal aberrations will be measured at baseline and 15 minutes after instillation.
Experimental: Non-Lipid Artificial Tear Formulation
Participants in this arm will receive a single drop of a non-lipid artificial tear formulation containing hydroxypropyl guar in each eye. The intervention aims to improve aqueous layer stability and will be assessed for its immediate effects on corneal aberrations 15 minutes post-instillation.
Drug: Non-Lipid Artificial Tear
This intervention consists of a non-lipid artificial tear formulation containing hydroxypropyl guar. It is intended to stabilize the aqueous layer of the tear film and maintain optical quality. Participants in this group will receive a single drop in each eye, and corneal aberrations will be measured at baseline and 15 minutes after instillation.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Changes in Corneal Higher-Order Aberrations (HOAs)
Time Frame: Baseline to 15 minutes post-instillation
The primary outcome is the change in corneal higher-order aberrations (measured as RMS values) using wavefront aberrometry. Measurements will assess the optical impact of the lipid-based and non-lipid artificial tear formulations on the ocular surface.
Baseline to 15 minutes post-instillation

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Stabilization of Tear Film
Time Frame: Baseline to 15 minutes post-instillation
This outcome evaluates the qualitative stabilization of the tear film post-instillation of the artificial tear formulations. Observations will include tear film uniformity and potential disruptions measured indirectly through aberrometry.
Baseline to 15 minutes post-instillation

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

University of Seville

Collaborators

Alcon Research

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

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)

February 1, 2025

Primary Completion (Actual)

March 1, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

March 15, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

January 14, 2025

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 14, 2025

First Posted (Actual)

January 20, 2025

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

May 4, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 27, 2026

Last Verified

April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • USeville_2025_01

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

The individual participant data (IPD) will not be shared due to privacy and confidentiality concerns. The data collected in this study will be used solely for the purposes outlined in the research protocol and will remain confidential according to applicable data protection regulations. Aggregate data and study results will be shared in peer-reviewed publications and presentations, but individual-level data will not be made publicly available.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

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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