The Effect of Rinsing on Ocular Inflammation and Symptoms in Patients With Dry Eye Disease (RINSE-A)

May 26, 2026 updated by: Rinsada
The central hypothesis is that inflammation contributes to dry eye and that rinsing the palpebral conjunctiva, bulbar conjunctiva, and fornices will reduce the inflammatory burden on the ocular surface.

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

The objective is to determine whether irrigation of the bulbar conjunctiva, palpebral conjunctiva, conjunctival fornix, and the corneal surface reduces the inflammatory burden in patients with dry eye disease. The scientific premise is that inflammation contributes to the clinical symptoms of dry eye disease. By reducing the inflammatory mediators on the ocular surface, there may be a reduction in dry eye symptoms.

The primary endpoint is MMP-9 positivity. Secondary endpoints include CDES-Q, Ocular Itch Scale, and keratometry measurements.

The study population includes participants who have severe dry eye disease. The inclusion and exclusion criteria is described below. The goal is to recruit 150 patients, Including screen failures, a total of 250 participants will need to be screened for the study.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

33

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

  • United States
    • Pennsylvania
      • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, 15219
        • Recruiting
        • Everett and Hurite Ophthalmic Association
        • 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

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • MMP-9 Positivity in both eyes

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Active ocular infection, including bacterial, viral, or fungal conjunctivitis Acute allergic conjunctivitis or severe seasonal ocular allergy flare History of autoimmune ocular surface disease (e.g., Sjögren syndrome, ocular cicatricial pemphigoid, Stevens-Johnson syndrome) Current use of topical anti-inflammatory medications, including corticosteroids, cyclosporine, lifitegrast, or topical NSAIDs within 14-30 days prior to enrollment Initiation of new ocular or systemic anti-inflammatory therapy during the study period Contact lens wear within 12-24 hours prior to testing Ocular surgery or laser procedures within the previous 3-6 months Current punctal plug use or punctal occlusion procedures within the prior 3 months Severe aqueous-deficient dry eye preventing adequate tear sample acquisition or reliable InflammaDry testing Use of preserved artificial tears within a specified washout period Eyelid abnormalities or active blepharitis requiring treatment Pregnancy or breastfeeding (optional depending on IRB requirements) History of hypersensitivity to saline irrigation or study materials Any systemic inflammatory disease judged by investigators to confound tear film MMP-9 level

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: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
No Intervention: Control eye
Experimental: Treatment Eye
Device: Rinsada
Irrigation via irrigating eyelid retractor

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
MMP-9 Positivity
Time Frame: 3 Hours
Tear MMP-9 levels will be assessed using a point-of-care diagnostic assay. Change from baseline to the specified follow-up visit will be analyzed.
3 Hours

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Rinsada

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)

January 1, 2022

Primary Completion (Estimated)

December 1, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

December 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

June 8, 2025

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 26, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

June 1, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

June 1, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 26, 2026

Last Verified

June 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • R002a

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

IPD Plan Description

Individual participant data (IPD) will not be shared due to the small sample size and the potential risk of participant re-identification.

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.

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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