Altered Non-Visual Photoreception in Patients With Glaucoma: Impacts on Sleep, Alertness, Mood, and Cognition

Recruiting now · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Glaucoma

In brief

The goal of this study is to understand how light sensitivity in the eye affects sleep, mood, alertness, and cognition in adults with glaucoma compared to healthy individuals aged 45-75 years. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. Do patients with glaucoma experience poorer sleep, mood, alertness, and cognitive function than age-matched healthy adults? 2. Are these changes related to reduced light sensitivity in special retinal cells called intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs), lost in glaucoma? 3. Can exposure to safe, full-spectrum indoor light help improve these functions? Researchers will compare patients with glaucoma and age-matched healthy controls to see if differences in light sensitivity can explain changes in non-visual light responses (i.e., sleep, mood, alertness, and cognition) and whether full-spectrum light exposure can enhance alertness and wellbeing. Participants will: 1. Complete eye exams and baseline questionnaires about their sleep, daytime sleepiness, mood, and wellbeing. 2. Wear a wrist-worn device for 8-16 days to record their sleep patterns and light exposure. 3. Visit the laboratory for cognitive and attention tests following exposure to two lighting conditions (randomized, cross-over): * Standard indoor light (\~300 lux) * Full-spectrum light (\~1000 lux) This study will help researchers understand how glaucoma affects the brain beyond vision and explore whether light-based interventions can improve quality of life for people living with glaucoma.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT07364929

Run by

National University of Singapore

People needed

120

Starts

2025-09-05

Expected to finish

2026-12-01

Last updated by the study team

2026-01-23

Who can join

Age: 45 and older, up to 75. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Patients with glaucoma must meet all of the inclusion criteria to participate in this study.
• Patients diagnosed with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), as indicated by Humphrey Visual Field (HVF) mean deviation (VFMD) scores better than -12 dB in at least one eye during their most recent clinic visit.
• Patients having spared central vision.
• Patients aged 45 to 75 years old.
• Patients with a best-corrected visual acuity better than 6/12
• English-speaking patients
• Healthy controls must meet all of the inclusion criteria to participate in this study:
• Participants aged 50 to 70 years old.
• Participants with a best-corrected visual acuity better than 6/12
• Normal ophthalmic examination
• English-speaking participants

You may not qualify if…

• All subjects (patients and controls) meeting any of the exclusion criteria at baseline will be excluded from participation:
• Participants with myopia exhibiting a refractive error exceeding -8.00 diopters (D)
• Participants with a history of complicated previous intraocular surgery
• Participants taking alpha-adrenergic agonist eye drops or other systemic medications or drugs that could affect the pupillary response
• Participants with any past or current ocular condition (i.e., age-related retinal diseases (e.g., age-related macular degeneration), retinal pigment epithelium diseases (e.g., Best's disease), diabetic retinopathy, or other optic or generalized neuropathies, significant ocular trauma, or any eye condition affecting fixation (eg. Nystagmus)).
• Participants diagnosed with cataracts at NS3+ (Nuclear Sclerosis) and above, as well as those with Posterior Subcapsular (PSC) cataracts
• Participants with clinically diagnosed psychiatric or neurologic disorders, including cognitive impairment or dementia
• Participants with diagnosed mood disorders
• Participants engaged in night shift work within the past three months, are currently using sleeping pills, or have recently travelled across timezones within a month prior to the study
• Participants with obstructive sleep apnea
• Participants with abnormal auditory function
• Participants with impaired color vision
• Pre-menopausal women (last menstrual period < 1 year) (If applicable)
• Patients having unilateral glaucoma, congenital glaucoma, non-glaucomatous optic neuropathy, abnormal central vision
• Diabetics on treatment

Where it is running

• Singapore National Eye Center — Singapore, Singapore (enrolling)
• National University Hospital — Singapore, Singapore

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

Trial information comes from ClinicalTrials.gov and is refreshed daily. TrialsForMe does not provide medical care and does not run the studies it lists.