Rose Bengal Electromagnetic Activation with Green light for Infection Reduction II (REAGIR II) is a randomized, double-masked feasibility study. The purpose of this study is to determine differences in 6-month visual acuity between medical antimicrobial treatments alone versus antimicrobial treatment plus cross-linking with rose Bengal (RB-PDT). Patients presenting to one of the Aravind Eye Hospitals in India or to the Federal University of São Paulo ophthalmology clinic in Brazil with smear-positive and/or culture positive typical (I.e. non-Nocardia or Mycobacteria) bacterial corneal ulcers and moderate to severe vision loss, defined as Snellen visual acuity of 20/40 of worse, will be eligible for inclusion. Those who agree to participate will be randomized to one of two treatment groups: * Group 6, RB-PDT Plus Early Steroids: topical 0.5% moxifloxacin plus topical difluprednate 0.05% plus RB-PDT * Group 7, Sham RB-PDT Plus Early Steroids: topical 0.5% moxifloxacin plus topical difluprednate 0.05% plus sham RB-PDT
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Enrollment
60
Difluprednate 0.05% is a corticosteroid used to reduce inflammation in the eye. Participants will receive one drop of 0.05% difluprednate four times daily beginning 24 hours after the initiation of antibiotics for 1 week, decreased by 1 drop weekly for a total of 4 weeks of steroid therapy.
Study participants receive RB-PDT within 48 hours of randomization. All participants will receive a 30-minute loading dose of topical Rose Bengal (0.1% RB in 0.9% sodium chloride) which will be applied in 3-minute intervals to the de-epithelialized cornea. This will be followed by irradiation with a 6mW/cm2 custom-made green LED source for 15 minutes (5.4J/cm2). Repeat cornea culture will be collected within 24 hours after the procedure.
Topical moxifloxacin 0.5% is a fluoroquinolone antibiotic that is used to treat bacterial infections. This is a standard therapy for bacterial keratitis.
Federal University of São Paulo
São Paulo, Brazil
Aravind Eye Care System
Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India
Best Spectacle-Corrected Visual Acuity
Best Spectacle-Corrected Visual Acuity
Time frame: 6 months
Best Spectacle-Corrected Visual Acuity
Best Spectacle-Corrected Visual Acuity
Time frame: 3 Weeks, 3 Months, 12 Months
Scar size
Geometric mean
Time frame: 3 Weeks, 3 Months, 6 Months 12 Months
Scar depth
Geometric mean
Time frame: 3 Weeks, 3 Months, 6 Months 12 Months
Adverse Events
Adverse Events
Time frame: 12 Months
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