Skip to content

Does Topical Ophthalmic Anesthetic Prior to Probing and Irrigation Decrease Pain?

Does Administration of Proparacaine Hydrochloride 0.5% Ophthalmic Solution Prior to Canalicular Probing and Irrigation Decrease Patient Discomfort

Status
Terminated
Phases
Phase 4
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT04229771
Enrollment
2
Registered
2020-01-18
Start date
2020-06-30
Completion date
2020-11-30
Last updated
2023-01-19

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Epiphora, Dacryostenosis, Dacryocystitis

Keywords

Nasolacrimal duct obstruction, Probe and irrigation

Brief summary

Purpose: It is unknown whether instillation of a drop of anesthetic ophthalmic solution into the eye such as proparacaine hydrochloride 0.5% prior to probing and irrigation of the tear duct (lacrimal drainage) system improves participant comfort during the procedure. To date, there have been no formal studies evaluating the possible benefit of this pretreatment. Methods: Participants 18 years and older who present to the William Beaumont Hospital - Royal Oak, Michigan outpatient ophthalmology clinic with a chief complaint of epiphora (excessive tearing) who necessitate bilateral lower lid probing and irrigation of the lacrimal drainage system will be enrolled in the study. One eye will be randomized to receive a drop of the anesthetic Proparacaine hydrochloride 0.5% and the other eye will receive a control drop of Balanced Salt Solution (BSS). Probing and irrigation will then be performed in the usual fashion. The participant will then be questioned via survey on a pain scale of 1-5 as to the amount of subjective pain experienced on each side during the procedure. Expected Results: Investigators expect participants will experience statistically significantly less pain in eyes that have received a drop of Proparacaine hydrochloride 0.5% prior to performance of probing and irrigation compared to the eyes which have received the control drop.

Detailed description

Rationale: It is common for male and female adults of all races with a chief complaint of epiphora (excessive tearing) to express discomfort either verbally or through body language while undergoing tear duct (canalicular) probing and irrigation even when no pathology is detected. Use of a topical anesthetic during canalicular probing and irrigation is seen in children but has yet to be formally investigated in adults to date. The goal of this study is to identify whether or not instillation of a drop of Proparacaine hydrochloride 0.5% ophthalmic solution into a participant's eye prior to performance of probing and irrigation will improve participant comfort during the procedure and is therefore recommended. Hypothesis: Administration of a drop of Proparacaine hydrochloride 0.5% ophthalmic solution into the eye prior to probing and irrigation of the lower lid canalicular system will decrease discomfort as compared to a control drop of BSS ophthalmic solution into the opposite eye prior to the same procedure. Null hypothesis: Administration of a drop of Proparacaine hydrochloride 0.5% ophthalmic solution does not have an effect on discomfort during canalicular probing and irrigation. Medication: Proparacaine hydrochloride ophthalmic solution, United States Pharmacopeia (USP) 0.5% is a local anesthetic drug intended for topical ophthalmic use. Proparacaine Hydrochloride ophthalmic solution is a fast-acting anesthetic lasting 10-20 minutes. Proparacaine hydrochloride ophthalmic solution, USP 0.5% is FDA approved for this indication. Probing and irrigation: A common in-office ophthalmic procedure performed with a small gauge, blunt tube on a syringe filled with BSS. The cannula is placed into the canaliculus (tear duct) of one eyelid, and the BSS is used to irrigate the lacrimal system. This procedure identifies whether or not obstruction of the lacrimal system is present. A participant with an open (patent) system will taste the salty BSS solution in the nose. A participant with a nasolacrimal duct obstruction (NLDO) or a more proximal canalicular obstruction will have reflux of the irrigant out of the opposite lid (on the same side) canaliculus, the probed canaliculus, or both and will usually not detect any irrigant within the nasopharynx. Definitions: Nasolacrimal drainage system: The physiologic apparatus which drains tears from the surface of the eye into the nose (i.e. the tear drain). It consists of (from eye to nose) the punctum (opening of the tube), the canaliculus (a thin tube within the eyelid), the lacrimal sac (a sac that hold the tears that lies within the bone of the nose) and finally the nasolacrimal duct (a duct that connects the lacrimal sac (-lacrimal) into the nose (naso-). A blockage anywhere along this pathway can cause epiphora. Epiphora: The pathological process of tears overflowing from the ocular surface and rolling down the face. Commonly caused by obstructions of the lacrimal drainage system. Can cause significant irritation and loss of vision.

Interventions

One drop instilled in one eye, randomly chosen, as topical anesthetic

One drop instilled in one eye, randomly chosen, as control placebo

Sponsors

Corewell Health East
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Caregiver)

Masking description

Randomization will be performed by the primary investigator who will have no participant interaction during the performance of the procedure and obtainment of the survey responses. A random number generator will be used to obtain either an even or odd number. Odd numbers mean the left eye receives Proparacaine hydrochloride 0.5% ophthalmic solution, even numbers mean the right eye does. The chief investigator will instruct clinic personnel as to which syringe should be labeled L or R depending on randomization results.Two identical 1 ml syringes will be prepared. One syringe containing control BSS, and the other containing Proparacaine hydrochloride 0.5% ophthalmic solution. Each syringe will be labeled by clinical assistants with either left (L) or right (R) as randomized.

Intervention model description

A double-blinded, randomized, controlled clinical trial with one eye of each participant receiving the experimental treatment and one eye acting as control, receiving placebo

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Participants of any sex aged 18 years or older * Signs and symptoms of epiphora which necessitate performance of a diagnostic probing and irrigation of the bilateral lower eyelid lacrimal drainage system at Beaumont Royal Oak or any of the listed physician offices who present with a chief complaint of epiphora from either eye

Exclusion criteria

* A known allergy to topical proparacaine hydrochloride * Known pre-existing scarring, surgery, radiation to the nasolacrimal system * Presence of blockage and or reflux on probing and irrigation of either side * Cognitive Impairment

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Count of Participants Who Report of Less Discomfort in the Eye That Received the Proparacaine Hydrochloride Anesthetic During Probing1 minuteParticipants completed a survey which asked which procedure was more uncomfortable (left or right). Assignment to receive proparacaine hydrochloride was compared to survey results. When the participant reported less discomfort in the eye that received the proparacaine hydrochloride medication, this is is reported as concordance between reduction of pain/discomfort and anesthetic use.

Countries

United States

Participant flow

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Participants Who Received Proparacaine Hydrochloride Solution in Left Eye and Placebo in Right Eye
Participants will have received a drop of Proparacaine Hydrocholoride 0.5% ophthalmic solution in left eye and a drop of balanced salt solution (BSS, placebo) in the right eye prior to probing and irrigation. Proparacaine Hydrochloride ophthalmic solution, USP 0.5%: One drop instilled in left eye, as topical anesthetic Balanced salt solution: One drop instilled in right eye, as control placebo
2
Participants Who Received Proparacaine Hydrochloride Solution in Left Eye and Placebo in Right Eye
Participants will have received a drop of Proparacaine Hydrocholoride 0.5% ophthalmic solution in left eye and a drop of balanced salt solution (BSS, placebo) in the right eye prior to probing and irrigation. Proparacaine Hydrochloride ophthalmic solution, USP 0.5%: One drop instilled in left eye, as topical anesthetic Balanced salt solution: One drop instilled in right eye, as control placebo
4
Participants Who Received Proparacaine Hydrochloride Solution in Right Eye and Placebo in Left Eye
Participants will have received a drop of Proparacaine Hydrocholoride 0.5% ophthalmic solution in right eye and a drop of balanced salt solution (BSS, placebo) in the left prior to probing and irrigation. Proparacaine Hydrochloride ophthalmic solution, USP 0.5%: One drop instilled in right eye, as topical anesthetic Balanced salt solution: One drop instilled in left eye as control placebo
0
Participants Who Received Proparacaine Hydrochloride Solution in Right Eye and Placebo in Left Eye
Participants will have received a drop of Proparacaine Hydrocholoride 0.5% ophthalmic solution in right eye and a drop of balanced salt solution (BSS, placebo) in the left prior to probing and irrigation. Proparacaine Hydrochloride ophthalmic solution, USP 0.5%: One drop instilled in right eye, as topical anesthetic Balanced salt solution: One drop instilled in left eye as control placebo
0
Total6

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicTotalParticipants Who Received Proparacaine Hydrochloride Solution in Left Eye and Placebo in Right Eye
Age, Continuous69.5 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 7.7
69.5 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 7.7
Race and Ethnicity Not Collected0 Participants
Region of Enrollment
United States
2 participants2 participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
1 Participants1 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
1 Participants1 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
EG001
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
0 / 20 / 0
other
Total, other adverse events
0 / 20 / 0
serious
Total, serious adverse events
0 / 20 / 0

Outcome results

Primary

Count of Participants Who Report of Less Discomfort in the Eye That Received the Proparacaine Hydrochloride Anesthetic During Probing

Participants completed a survey which asked which procedure was more uncomfortable (left or right). Assignment to receive proparacaine hydrochloride was compared to survey results. When the participant reported less discomfort in the eye that received the proparacaine hydrochloride medication, this is is reported as concordance between reduction of pain/discomfort and anesthetic use.

Time frame: 1 minute

Population: No participants were randomized to arm Participants who received proparacaine hydrochloride in right eye and placebo in left eye.

ArmMeasureValue (COUNT_OF_PARTICIPANTS)
Participants Who Received Proparacaine Hydrochloride Solution in Left Eye and Placebo in Right EyeCount of Participants Who Report of Less Discomfort in the Eye That Received the Proparacaine Hydrochloride Anesthetic During Probing1 Participants
Participants Who Received Proparacaine Hydrochloride Solution in Right Eye and Placebo in Left EyeCount of Participants Who Report of Less Discomfort in the Eye That Received the Proparacaine Hydrochloride Anesthetic During Probing0 Participants

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026