Stopped: No patients had abnormal PERG and could not be included in the first two arms from the baseline timepoint.
United States28 participantsStarted 2015-09
Plain-language summary
Glaucoma is a progressive disease resulting in blindness. Determining the onset of the disease, predicting its severity and the benefit of pressure lowering eye drops is key to clinical management aimed at maintaining useful vision with advancing age. This study will longitudinally monitor a population of glaucoma suspects (with positive factors for the disease but with normal vision) with noninvasive pattern electroretinogram (PERG) and other standard eye tests for glaucoma. The PERG measures the function of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) that are the parent neurons of the optic nerve. RGCs may become dysfunctional before dying and their function restored with pressure-lowering eye drops. Glaucoma suspects with abnormal PERG will be randomized to treatment with eye drops, while those with normal PERG will be left untreated. All patients will be monitored with PERG, Optic Coherence Tomography (OCT) and other ancillary tests every 6 months over 4 years.
Who can participate
Age range
18 Years – 85 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Inclusion criteria
. Age 18 to 85 years, inclusive
. Refractive errors within -5 to +3 diopters
. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) better than or equal to 20/30 (Snellen)
. Normal standard automated perimetry (SAP) according to the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study (OHTS) criteria15 (reliability \< 15% on all indices, normality \> 5% on all global indices in two consecutive sessions 6 months apart)
. Minimum untreated Intraocular pressure IOP of 15 mm Hg
. Glaucoma Suspect Status defined as one or more of the following:
Exclusion criteria
Questions worth asking your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
Questions for the trial coordinator
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
. Unwilling or unable to give consent, unwilling to accept randomization, or unable to return for scheduled protocol visits.
. Pregnant or nursing women.
. Currently using prescribed pressure lowering medicines and unwilling to be withdrawn from them.
. An OHTS risk score high enough in the judgment of the ophthalmologist or optometrist managing the patient to recommend pressure lowering medicine to the patient and not randomization.