CONTOURA vs WFO Ablation PRK & LASIK

NCT ID: NCT05037370

Last Updated: 2025-08-14

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 400 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2021-04-22
• Study Completion Date: 2026-12-31

Brief Summary

This is a prospective randomized contralateral double-masked study. Each patient will be randomized as to which eye undergoes wave-front optimized (WFO) vs. wave-front guided (WFG) during Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) or Laser-assisted in situ Keratomileusis (LASIK) surgery to determine which ablation profile provides the best visual outcome.

Detailed Description

In 2015, the FDA approved a new laser ablation profile for performing laser corneal refractive surgery. Multiple sophisticated profiles have been developed in an attempt to optimize visual outcomes and reduce post-operative lower and higher-order optical aberrations. Among these include wave-front optimized (WFO) and wave-front guided (WFG) ablation profiles. The former compensated for corneal curvature to reduce spherical aberration and the latter, a more complicated ablation profile, was designed to minimize specific aberrations in an individual eye. Topographic profiles have also been used for over 17 years. These profiles consider the shape of the anterior corneal surface. The newest such topographic ablation profile, Contoura Vision, is a topography guided (TG) profile that, based on over 22,000 curvature data points captured using the VARIO Topolyzer, individualizes the ablation pattern. For comparison, WFO uses a patient's estimated average corneal curvature alone to create an ablation pattern. The addition of the VARIO Topolyzer adds a significant increase of pre-operative patient preparation. Anecdotally, between 1-3hrs of additional technician hours are required to prepare a patient for the Contoura Vision TG ablation profile.

This will be a prospective randomized contralateral double-masked study. Patients will undergo the same standard of care preoperative evaluation and education as any other patient not enrolled in the study. The physician performing surgery will choose either LASIK or PRK, taking into account patient preference, preoperative data and overall clinical picture, ultimately choosing which is best for the patient. If a patient qualifies for both, the patient may choose either LASIK or PRK. Each patient will be randomized as to which eye undergoes a WFO treatment vs Contoura. At the time of surgery the patient will be blinded as to which eye receives which treatment, but the surgical team will not be blinded as to which procedure is performed. Post-operatively, the ophthalmic technicians and optometrists responsible for postoperative examinations (measurement of visual acuity, refractions, transcription of PRO's) will be blinded as to which eye underwent Contoura vs WFO. While treatments will vary, both have the same safety profile. Both involve sophisticated lasers to change the shape of the cornea to achieve the desired outcome. The variance comes in the type of pattern the laser uses to treat each individual. All post-operative care will be standard of care with medications being the same as if the patient were not enrolled in the study. Post-operative evaluations will take place at postoperative day 1, week 1, month 1, month 3, and month 6.

All data collected will be standard pre- and post-operative ophthalmic refractive surgery measurements. This includes a standard medical history, especially to include prior eye surgeries or diseases. Pre-operative measurements include vision assessments, contrast sensitivity, pre- and post-dilation as well as keratometry and axial length measurements. The Contoura requires a separate set of data collection via the VARIO topolyzer. Intraoperative data collected will include variables such as actual treatment outcomes and laser settings. Post-operative measurements will consist of many of the same measurements as those obtained preoperatively including uncorrected and corrected visual acuity, and refractive measurements. A symptoms-based questionnaire specific to corrective eye surgery (PROWL) will be given to patients before and after surgery during routine follow-ups. Each PROWL is specific to an individual eye, not specific to the surgery performed in each eye (i.e. the same PROWL questionnaire will be used regardless of whether the patient underwent PRK or LASIK). All PROWL data will be compared pre- and post-operatively and will be stratified based on surgery.

Conditions

Refractive Surgery

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: TRIPLE

Study Groups

LASIK refractive surgery

Contralateral Randomize Wave-Front Optimized (WFO) ablation vs Topography-guided ablation

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Wave-Front Optimized (WFO) ablation vs Topography-guided (TG) ablation

Intervention Type: DEVICE

Patient will undergo PRK or LASIK using WFO ablation in one eye and TG ablation on contralateral eye

PRK refractive surgery

Contralateral Randomize Wave-Front Optimized (WFO) ablation vs Topography-guided ablation

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Wave-Front Optimized (WFO) ablation vs Topography-guided (TG) ablation

Intervention Type: DEVICE

Patient will undergo PRK or LASIK using WFO ablation in one eye and TG ablation on contralateral eye

Interventions

Wave-Front Optimized (WFO) ablation vs Topography-guided (TG) ablation

Patient will undergo PRK or LASIK using WFO ablation in one eye and TG ablation on contralateral eye

Intervention Type: DEVICE

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Meet requirements for PRK or LASIK i.e., Stable <= .5 D change MRSE)
• DOD beneficiaries age 21-50 years
• Local pts (w/i 60 mi) who will be in the area for at least 6 months post surgery
• Willing to complete all required follow-up visits

Exclusion Criteria

• No meeting requirements for PRK or LASIK
• Desiring monovision treatment
• Anisometropia >2D spherical equivalent
• Prior ocular surgeries / trauma / problem
• History of dry eyes
• Hyperopia
• Mixed astigmatism
• Inability to capture VARIO topolyzer scans
• Pregnant (or who plans to be within 6 months after surgery)
• Breastfeeding any time during the study
• History of herpetic disease

• Minimum Eligible Age: 21 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 50 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

59th Medical Wing

FED

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

CHARISMA B EVANGELISTA, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

59th Medical Wing

Locations

Joint Warfighter Refractive Surgery Center at WHASC

San Antonio, Texas, United States

Site Status: RECRUITING

Countries

United States

Central Contacts

JOSE E CAPO-APONTE, OD, PhD

Role: CONTACT

Jose.E.CapoAponte.ctr@health.mil

210-292-2554

AMBER MARTIN

Role: CONTACT

amber.l.martin38.ctr@health.mil

210-292-2483

Facility Contacts

JOSE E CAPO-APONTE, OD, PhD

Role: primary

jose.e.capoaponte.ctr@health.mil

210-292-2554

AMBER MARTIN

Role: backup

amber.l.martin38.ctr@Health.mil

210-292-2483

Provided Documents

Document Type: Informed Consent Form

View Document

Other Identifiers

FWH20200077H

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id