Tear Interleukin Biomarkers After Glaucoma Treatment (TIGT)

May 12, 2026 updated by: Kazakh Eye Research Institute

Tear Fluid Interleukin Biomarkers and Intraocular Pressure Response After Micropulse Transscleral Cyclophotocoagulation, Conventional Cyclophotocoagulation, and Antiglaucoma Surgery in Patients With Glaucoma

This prospective study aims to evaluate inflammatory biomarkers in tear fluid in patients with glaucoma undergoing micropulse transscleral cyclophotocoagulation (MP-CPC), continuous-wave cyclophotocoagulation (CPC), and antiglaucoma surgeries. The study will assess the concentrations of pro- and anti-inflammatory interleukins in tear samples collected before treatment, 5-7 days after the procedure, and 1 month postoperatively.

Intraocular pressure (IOP) will be measured at the same time points. The correlation between changes in interleukin levels and IOP reduction will be analyzed. Additionally, the study aims to compare inflammatory response patterns among the MP-CPC, CPC, and surgical treatment groups and to identify interleukin profiles associated with a clinically significant hypotensive effect.

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Glaucoma is a chronic progressive optic neuropathy characterized by irreversible visual field loss. Reduction of intraocular pressure (IOP) remains the only evidence-based strategy to slow disease progression. Various treatment modalities, including laser procedures such as micropulse transscleral cyclophotocoagulation (MP-CPC) and continuous-wave cyclophotocoagulation (CPC), as well as incisional antiglaucoma surgeries, are widely used to achieve IOP control.

Inflammation is believed to play a differential role in the biological response to various glaucoma interventions. In the context of CPC and MP-CPC a controlled ("subthreshold") inflammatory response may contribute to structural and functional remodeling of the ciliary body, potentially enhancing the hypotensive effect. Interleukins present in tear fluid represent accessible, non-invasive biomarkers of ocular surface and intraocular inflammatory activity. Changes in their concentrations may reflect procedure-induced tissue response and could potentially serve as predictors of treatment efficacy.

In contrast, following incisional antiglaucoma surgeries, inflammation is more often associated with fibrotic processes, wound healing, and scar formation, which may negatively affect surgical outcomes by limiting aqueous outflow.

However, the dynamics of inflammatory mediators in the tear film following different glaucoma treatments and their relationship with IOP reduction remain insufficiently studied.

This prospective study will include patients with various types of glaucoma scheduled to undergo MP-CPC, CPC, or incisional antiglaucoma surgery. Tear samples will be collected at three time points: preoperatively (baseline), 5-7 days after treatment, and 1 month postoperatively. The concentrations of selected pro-inflammatory (IL-4, IL-6) interleukins will be measured using standardized immunoassay techniques.

Intraocular pressure will be assessed at the same time points using Corvis ST tonometry.

The primary objective of the study is to evaluate the correlation between changes in tear interleukin levels and IOP reduction at early (5-7 days) and short-term (1 month) follow-up.

Secondary objectives include:

Assessment of temporal changes in interleukin profiles after different glaucoma treatments, Comparison of inflammatory responses between MP-CPC, CPC, and surgery groups, Evaluation of the relationship between baseline interleukin levels and the degree of IOP reduction, Identification of interleukin patterns associated with a clinically significant hypotensive response, Safety evaluation, including postoperative complications and ocular surface status.

Correlation and regression analyses will be performed to determine whether baseline interleukin levels and their early postoperative changes can predict the degree and stability of IOP reduction.

The identification of inflammatory biomarkers associated with treatment response may contribute to a better understanding of the role of inflammation in glaucoma management and support the development of personalized therapeutic strategies.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

24

Phase

  • 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 Locations

  • Kazakhstan
      • Almaty, Kazakhstan, 050012
        • Recruiting
        • Kazakh Eye Research Institute
        • 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

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Decision to treat by MP-CPC Laser
  • Patients diagnosed with Glaucoma
  • Patients aged 18 years old and above
  • Glaucoma that is inadequately controlled on medical therapy

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients age less than 18 years
  • Patients unable or unwilling to provide informed consent to participate in the study
  • Patients potentially unavailable for follow up visits
  • Patients with significant scleral thinning
  • Patients with ocular infection, inflammation or intraocular surgery in the study eye 2 months prior to enrollment in the study
  • Albino patients that have no iris pigmentation

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
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: MicroPulse Transscleral Cyclophotocoagulation Group
Participants in this group will undergo MicroPulse transscleral cyclophotocoagulation for the treatment of glaucoma. Tear samples and intraocular pressure measurements will be collected before treatment, 5-7 days after the procedure, and 1 month postoperatively to evaluate inflammatory biomarker changes and treatment response.
Procedure: MicroPulse Transscleral Cyclophotocoagulation
MicroPulse transscleral cyclophotocoagulation will be performed as a laser procedure for the treatment of glaucoma. The procedure will be applied transsclerally over the ciliary body using micropulse laser energy. Tear fluid samples will be collected before treatment, 5-7 days after the procedure, and 1 month postoperatively for assessment of interleukin levels. Intraocular pressure will be measured at the same time points.
Active Comparator: Conventional Transscleral Cyclophotocoagulation Group
Participants in this group will undergo conventional continuous-wave transscleral cyclophotocoagulation for the treatment of glaucoma. Tear samples and intraocular pressure measurements will be collected before treatment, 5-7 days after the procedure, and 1 month postoperatively to evaluate inflammatory biomarker changes and treatment response.
Procedure: Conventional Transscleral Cyclophotocoagulation
Conventional continuous-wave transscleral cyclophotocoagulation will be performed as a laser procedure for the treatment of glaucoma. The procedure will be applied transsclerally over the ciliary body using continuous-wave laser energy. Tear fluid samples will be collected before treatment, 5-7 days after the procedure, and 1 month postoperatively for assessment of interleukin levels. Intraocular pressure will be measured at the same time points.
Active Comparator: Antiglaucoma Surgery Group
Participants in this group will undergo incisional antiglaucoma surgery for the treatment of glaucoma. Tear samples and intraocular pressure measurements will be collected before surgery, 5-7 days after surgery, and 1 month postoperatively to evaluate inflammatory biomarker changes and treatment response.
Procedure: Antiglaucoma Surgery
Incisional antiglaucoma surgery will be performed for the treatment of glaucoma according to the clinical indication and standard surgical protocol. Tear fluid samples will be collected before surgery, 5-7 days after surgery, and 1 month postoperatively for assessment of interleukin levels. Intraocular pressure will be measured at the same time points.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Association Between Changes in Tear Fluid Interleukin Levels and Intraocular Pressure Reduction
Time Frame: Baseline, 5-7 days after treatment, and 1 month after treatment
This outcome will assess the association between changes in tear fluid interleukin concentrations and the reduction in intraocular pressure after glaucoma treatment. Tear fluid levels of selected interleukins, including IL-4 and IL-6, will be measured before treatment, 5-7 days after treatment, and 1 month postoperatively. Intraocular pressure will be measured at the same time points. Correlation and regression analyses will be performed to evaluate whether changes in interleukin levels are associated with the magnitude of intraocular pressure reduction.
Baseline, 5-7 days after treatment, and 1 month after treatment

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Tear Fluid Interleukin Concentrations After Glaucoma Treatment
Time Frame: Baseline, 5-7 days after treatment, and 1 month after treatment
This outcome will evaluate temporal changes in tear fluid interleukin concentrations after different glaucoma treatment modalities, including MicroPulse transscleral cyclophotocoagulation, conventional transscleral cyclophotocoagulation, and incisional antiglaucoma surgery. Tear fluid samples will be collected at baseline, 5-7 days after treatment, and 1 month postoperatively.
Baseline, 5-7 days after treatment, and 1 month after treatment
Comparison of Inflammatory Response Patterns Between Treatment Groups
Time Frame: Baseline, 5-7 days after treatment, and 1 month after treatment
This outcome will compare postoperative inflammatory biomarker patterns between the MicroPulse transscleral cyclophotocoagulation group, conventional transscleral cyclophotocoagulation group, and incisional antiglaucoma surgery group. Differences in tear fluid interleukin levels and their postoperative dynamics will be analyzed between the groups.
Baseline, 5-7 days after treatment, and 1 month after treatment
Rate of Postoperative Complications
Time Frame: Up to 1 month after treatment
This outcome will assess the rate of postoperative complications after glaucoma treatment, including hypotony, corneal edema, hyphema, iritis, vitreous hemorrhage, cystoid macular edema, ocular surface inflammation, and other procedure-related adverse events.
Up to 1 month after treatment

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Kazakh Eye Research Institute

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Assiya Shaikenova, MD, Kazakh Eye Research 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)

May 18, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

August 18, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

August 18, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

May 12, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 12, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

May 18, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

May 18, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 12, 2026

Last Verified

May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 193/2

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

No

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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