Peripheral Retina Robotically Aligned OCT Study

NCT ID: NCT06451068

Last Updated: 2025-09-17

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

NOT_YET_RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

58 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2026-01-31

Study Completion Date

2027-01-31

Brief Summary

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Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a 3D imaging technology that has seen wide adoption within ophthalmology. However, optical access to the retinal periphery remains a challenge for conventional OCT systems. The study team plans to innovate peripheral retinal OCT imaging technology by first developing the first robotic OCT system capable of autonomously assisting the operator during imaging of the human peripheral retina using 3D active tracking and compensation and then by developing of the first OCT system designed for treatment of the retinal periphery.

Detailed Description

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Purpose and Objectives:

The long-term goal is to develop a system that provides 360° visualization of the peripheral retina replacing the current standard of care for evaluation of the retinal periphery for breaks: indirect ophthalmoscopy with scleral depression, a procedure requiring the examiner to mechanically indent the eye at multiple locations and use an indirect ophthalmoscope and condensing lens to attempt to visualize the retina peripherally and over360°. The rationale for this project is that in addition to being extremely uncomfortable for the patient, this technique requires considerable skill with specialized training.

Furthermore, the exam does not create a direct record of the findings - the examiner must illustrate a guide map from memory for subsequent laser photocoagulation (LP) therapy utilizing this same manual technique. These objectives will be achieved by pursuing two specific aims: 1) Adapt a custom conical mirror contact lens and robotically aligning platform to optically access the peripheral retina with OCT and laser photocoagulation therapy; and 2) Validate peripheral retina robotically aligning OCT against scleral depressed exam in eyes with and without peripheral retinal breaks requiring treatment.

To validate our imaging technique, the investigators will conduct a powered study in eyes with and without known peripheral retina breaks comparing total number of detected peripheral retinal breaks per eye by Peripheral Retina Robotically Aligned OCT (PR-RAOCT) versus clinical exam. As a secondary outcome, the investigators will evaluate subject comfort level following each method. The investigators will recruit patients presenting at the Duke Eye Center with complaints of "flashers and floaters" and have undergone indirect ophthalmoscopy with scleral depression as part of their standard of care.

Conditions

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Retinal Disease

Study Design

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Allocation Method

NON_RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Participants will be assigned to a group based on ocular history/diagnosis. Each participant will receive the same intervention.
Primary Study Purpose

OTHER

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Group 1 - Healthy adult volunteers

Healthy adult volunteers recruited from the patient population, students or employees of Duke University or Duke Eye Center (n=7)

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Peripheral retina robotically aligned optical coherence tomography (OCT) system

Intervention Type DEVICE

To visualize the full 360° of the retinal periphery (from equator to the more anterior ora serrata), investigators developed and redesigned a conical mirror contact lens and our non-contact robotically aligning platform to deliver OCT to the peripheral retina. The peripheral retina robotically aligned OCT (PR-RAOCT) system is built around a 6-axis cooperative robot (UR5e, Universal Robots), using our previously developed RAOCT control software.

Likert Scales

Intervention Type OTHER

Survey evaluating relative comfort with each type of peripheral exam (scleral depression vs. PR-RAOCT). Participants will rate 3 items on a 1 (non) to 5 (maximum) Likert scale: overall discomfort, physical pain, and photophobia for each exam.

Group 2 - Adult participants with "flashers and floaters"

Adult participants recruited from the patient population of Duke Eye Center with complaints of "flashers and floaters" undergoing clinical examination (n=7)

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Peripheral retina robotically aligned optical coherence tomography (OCT) system

Intervention Type DEVICE

To visualize the full 360° of the retinal periphery (from equator to the more anterior ora serrata), investigators developed and redesigned a conical mirror contact lens and our non-contact robotically aligning platform to deliver OCT to the peripheral retina. The peripheral retina robotically aligned OCT (PR-RAOCT) system is built around a 6-axis cooperative robot (UR5e, Universal Robots), using our previously developed RAOCT control software.

Likert Scales

Intervention Type OTHER

Survey evaluating relative comfort with each type of peripheral exam (scleral depression vs. PR-RAOCT). Participants will rate 3 items on a 1 (non) to 5 (maximum) Likert scale: overall discomfort, physical pain, and photophobia for each exam.

Group 3 - Adult participants with flashers and floaters with no diagnosed peripheral retinal breaks

Adult participants recruited from the patient population of Duke Eye Center with complaints of "flashers and floaters" and a clinical examination showing no breaks in the peripheral retina (n=22)

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Peripheral retina robotically aligned optical coherence tomography (OCT) system

Intervention Type DEVICE

To visualize the full 360° of the retinal periphery (from equator to the more anterior ora serrata), investigators developed and redesigned a conical mirror contact lens and our non-contact robotically aligning platform to deliver OCT to the peripheral retina. The peripheral retina robotically aligned OCT (PR-RAOCT) system is built around a 6-axis cooperative robot (UR5e, Universal Robots), using our previously developed RAOCT control software.

Likert Scales

Intervention Type OTHER

Survey evaluating relative comfort with each type of peripheral exam (scleral depression vs. PR-RAOCT). Participants will rate 3 items on a 1 (non) to 5 (maximum) Likert scale: overall discomfort, physical pain, and photophobia for each exam.

Group 4 - Adult participants with flashers and floaters with diagnosed peripheral retinal breaks

Adult participants recruited from the patient population of Duke Eye Center with complaints of "flashers and floaters" and a clinical examination showing one or more breaks in the peripheral retinal (n=22)

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Peripheral retina robotically aligned optical coherence tomography (OCT) system

Intervention Type DEVICE

To visualize the full 360° of the retinal periphery (from equator to the more anterior ora serrata), investigators developed and redesigned a conical mirror contact lens and our non-contact robotically aligning platform to deliver OCT to the peripheral retina. The peripheral retina robotically aligned OCT (PR-RAOCT) system is built around a 6-axis cooperative robot (UR5e, Universal Robots), using our previously developed RAOCT control software.

Likert Scales

Intervention Type OTHER

Survey evaluating relative comfort with each type of peripheral exam (scleral depression vs. PR-RAOCT). Participants will rate 3 items on a 1 (non) to 5 (maximum) Likert scale: overall discomfort, physical pain, and photophobia for each exam.

Interventions

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Peripheral retina robotically aligned optical coherence tomography (OCT) system

To visualize the full 360° of the retinal periphery (from equator to the more anterior ora serrata), investigators developed and redesigned a conical mirror contact lens and our non-contact robotically aligning platform to deliver OCT to the peripheral retina. The peripheral retina robotically aligned OCT (PR-RAOCT) system is built around a 6-axis cooperative robot (UR5e, Universal Robots), using our previously developed RAOCT control software.

Intervention Type DEVICE

Likert Scales

Survey evaluating relative comfort with each type of peripheral exam (scleral depression vs. PR-RAOCT). Participants will rate 3 items on a 1 (non) to 5 (maximum) Likert scale: overall discomfort, physical pain, and photophobia for each exam.

Intervention Type OTHER

Other Intervention Names

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PR-RAOCT

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Subject is able and willing to consent to study participation
* Subject is more than 18 years of age
* Healthy adult volunteers without known ocular issues other than refractive error

Exclusion Criteria

* Subject is unwilling or unable to provide consent
* Subject is less than 18 years of age
* Students or employees under direct supervision of the investigators
* Subjects with eye trauma, infection of the anterior ocular tissues or corneal conditions like keratoconus, Peter's anomaly, corneal edema, dense cataracts obscuring the retina and dense capsule opacities in pseudophakes

The investigators will not exclude subjects based on eyes being phakic, pseudo-phakic, or aphakic.
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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National Institutes of Health (NIH)

NIH

Sponsor Role collaborator

National Eye Institute (NEI)

NIH

Sponsor Role collaborator

Duke University

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Cynthia A Toth, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Duke University Eye Center

Locations

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Duke University Eye Center

Durham, North Carolina, United States

Site Status

Countries

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United States

Central Contacts

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Cynthia A Toth, MD

Role: CONTACT

(919) 684-9170

Michelle McCall, MCAPM, BA

Role: CONTACT

(919) 684-0544

Facility Contacts

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Michelle McCall

Role: primary

9196840544

Neeru Sarin

Role: backup

9196685641

Other Identifiers

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R21EY033959

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: secondary_id

View Link

Pro00115348

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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