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NCT Number: NCT07218289

Green Light for Post-Operative Wellness

This is an unblinded, parallel group randomized controlled trial to evaluate bright green light as an adjunct therapy after surgery at UPMC Shadyside. The primary outcome measure will be pain intensity with secondary outcome measures including opioid requirements, sleep quality, mood, and overall post-operative recovery. Specific aims/hypotheses for this study are as follows:

Aim 1: To assess bright green light therapy's potential as a complementary post-operative analgesic strategy in patients recovering from surgery Hypothesis 1: Participants exposed to bright green light, in comparison to dim white (ambient) light, will have improved postoperative pain scores and lower opioid use.

Aim 2: To examine the impact of bright green light therapy on patient-centered measures of post-operative recovery that may be related to improved circadian function.

Hypothesis 2: Participants exposed to bright green light, in comparison to dim white (ambient) light, will have improved quality of post-operative recovery, enhanced sleep, and reduced anxiety and depression.

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Key information

Conditions

Surgery Anxiety Disorders Behavior Behavioral Symptoms Depression Mental Disorders Neurologic Manifestations Pain Pain, Postoperative Pathologic Processes Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Postoperative Complications Signs and Symptoms

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

About this study

This research study is being done to evaluate the use of light therapy following surgery at UPMC Shadyside Hospital (Pittsburgh, PA). Light therapy after surgery may reduce pain and pain medication requirements, and it may improve sleep, mood, and overall post-surgery recovery. The proposed study design of a randomized controlled trial investigates the use of bright green light therapy for post-operative pain management and wellness.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Age >/= 18 years
  • Planned to undergo laparoscopic or robotic surgery at UPMC Shadyside Hospital
  • Anticipated post-operative length of stay >/= 48 hours
  • Able to speak and read English fluently, with the capacity to provide informed consent and complete the associated surveys independently

Exclusion criteria

  • Pregnancy
  • History of significant ocular issues/dysfunction (†‡ ) (e.g., glaucoma, ocular trauma, macular degeneration, cataracts) that would interfere with the ocular mechanism of action
  • History of significant neurological disease (‡) (e.g., traumatic brain injury, stroke, neurodegenerative disease) that would compromise the reliability of pain screening and/or interfere with the central mechanism of action
  • History of bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, which could increase the risk of an adverse reaction to light exposure (i.e., acute mania)
  • History of splenectomy, which would interfere with the mechanism of action
  • Ocular issues corrected with contact lenses or spectacle corrective eyeglasses will NOT be considered a criterion for exclusion ‡Unclear cases will be at the discretion of the PI

Treatment and study plan

Bright Green Light Therapy

Device

Day Light Classic Plus light therapy lamp with filter to yield bright green light.

Dim White Light Therapy

Device

Day Light Classic Plus light therapy lamp with filter to yield dim white light.

Primary outcomes

  1. Incisional Pain Intensity with Movement

    Time frame: Post-Operative Day 2

    Incisional pain with movement (after coughing) will be reported using a Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), scored from 0 to10, with 0 indicates "no pain" and 10 indicates "the worst pain imaginable". Post-intervention NRS on Post-Operative Day 2 will be compared between study arms as the primary outcome.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Incisional Pain Intensity at Rest

    Time frame: Post-Operative Day 2

    Incisional pain at rest will be reported using a Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), scored from 0 to10, where 0 indicates "no pain" and 10 indicates "the worst pain imaginable". Post-intervention NRS on Post-Operative Day 2 will be compared between study arms as a secondary outcome.

  2. Oral Morphine Equivalents (OME)

    Time frame: Post-Operative Day 1, and Post-Operative Day 2

    Total Opioid use will be obtained from the electronic medical record. Oral Morphine Equivalent (OME) use during the first 48-hours after surgery will be compared (on Post-Operative Days 1 and 2) between study arms.

  3. Sleep Disturbance

    Time frame: Post-Operative Day 7

    Sleep disturbance will be assessed using the PROMIS (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System) Sleep Disturbance 8-Item Short Form. Standardized T-scores (population mean = 50, standard deviation =10) will be compared between study arms as a secondary outcome. Higher scores will indicate higher levels of sleep disturbance.

  4. Depression

    Time frame: Post-Operative Day 7

    Depression will be measured using the PROMIS (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System) Depression 8-Item Short Form. Minimum score of 8, and Maximum score of 40. Higher scores will indicate higher levels of depression (worse outcome). Standardized T-scores (population mean = 50, standard deviation = 10) on post-operative Day 7 will be compared between study arms as a secondary outcome.

  5. Anxiety

    Time frame: Post-Operative Day 7

    Anxiety will be assessed using the PROMIS (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System) Anxiety 8-Item Short Form. Scores range from 8 to 40. Higher scores will indicate greater anxiety.

  6. Overall quality of Post-Operative Recovery

    Time frame: on Post-Operative Day 2, and Post-Operative Day 7

    Overall recovery will be assessed using the Quality of Recovery-15 (QoR-15) questionnaire, scored from 0 to 150. Higher scores will indicate better recovery. QOR-15 will be compared between study arms as a secondary outcome on both of Post-Operative Day 2 and Post-Operative Day 7.

  7. Hospital Length of Stay

    Time frame: Up to 30 Days Post-Operatively

    Hospital length of stay will be reported as the total of full days spent in an acute care hospital or emergency department within 30 days after surgery (0-30) and will be compared between study arms as a secondary outcome.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Amy Monroe, MPH, MBA

CONTACT

[email protected]

412-623-6382

Dayana Alsamsam, BSPS, MSc

CONTACT

[email protected]

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Rebecca E Kotcher, MD

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Green Light Therapy to Reduce Pain and Promote Wellness After Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial in Adult Post-Operative Patients

Acronym: GLOW

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Oct 20, 2025
Registry last updated
Feb 12, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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