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NCT Number: NCT06177639

Widefield Confocal Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscope Optimized for Pediatric and Neonatal Imaging

The goal of this observational study is to test the use of a novel Widefield Confocal Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscope (WiSLO) Optimized for Pediatric and Neonatal Imaging in pediatric and adult subjects who are undergoing clinical evaluation for eye disease or are healthy adult volunteers.

The main questions to answer are:

* Whether WiSLO will be more comfortable and satisfactory in experience for the patient and operator than commercial alternatives. * If the quality of WiSLO near infrared images will be comparable to color fundus camera imaging across population of different ages and fundus pigmentation.

Participants will have the following research procedures:

* Imaging of both eyes with a research noncontact WiSLO * Imaging of both eyes with a commercially available non-contact hand held fundus camera (Volk Pictor Plus) * Likert scales for adults * Pediatric Likert scales for children * CRIES scales for infants.

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Key information

Conditions

Eye Diseases

Age range

30 day and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

Duke University Eye Center

Durham, North Carolina, 27710, United States

Location status: Recruiting

Location contact

Cynthia A Toth, MD

PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Hafeez Dhalla, PhD

SUB_INVESTIGATOR

Michelle McCall

CONTACT

[email protected]

919-684-0544

Neeru Sarin

CONTACT

[email protected]

9196685641

About this study

The Widefield Confocal Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscope (WiSLO) Optimized for Pediatric and Neonatal Imaging study brings together a cross-disciplinary team of biomedical engineers and ophthalmologists to obtain feedback about and evaluate image quality of a handheld scanning laser ophthalmoscope (SLO) device designed and developed at Duke Biomedical Engineering under this grant specifically for portable pediatric and neonatal imaging applications which are not accessible by these populations. The expected outcome of the grant work is a validated design for a cost-scalable, dual-mode, widefield SLO (WiSLO) that produces NIR images comparable to existing color fundus cameras. The goal of this human subjects research is to gather initial supporting clinical data. Positive results from this initial study will motivate future technological refinement and clinical validation, ultimately leading to the commercialization of a technology that will greatly improve the standard of care in pediatric retinal imaging.

The investigators will recruit up to 42 participants into this study. This study will include enrollment of both pediatric and adult subjects who are undergoing clinical evaluation for eye disease or are healthy adult volunteers. Adult patients from Duke Eye Center Clinic with retinal findings will include for example, diabetic retinopathy, macular lesions, peripheral retinal lesions; Pediatric patients will have retinal findings including, for example: ROP, Coats disease, retinoschisis, familial exudative vitreoretinopathy, retinal detachment, retinal hemorrhages, retinoblastoma, and other lesions, or may have a normal retinal exam.

Participants will have the following research procedures: imaging of both eyes with (1) a research noncontact WiSLO and with a commercially available non-contact hand held fundus camera (Volk Pictor Plus), pen light evaluation of pupil size, sterile single use lubricating tear drops may be used, and Likert scales for adults, pediatric Likert scales for children and CRIES scales for infants. The adult cohort will complete imaging and analysis prior to start of pediatric imaging. Milestones of acceptable comfort with WiSLO imaging must be met from the adult analysis prior to imaging in pediatric participants.

Descriptive statistics will be computed for all retinal imaging variables (medians, means, standard deviations and ranges for continuous variables, and frequencies and percentages for categorical and binary variables). The significance of difference between imaging devices by eye for continuous variables (e.g. field of view, extent of each respective feature [from overlay with conventional image as reference standard], time to image), categorical variables (e.g. quality ratings) and binary variables (e.g. visualized yes or no) will be assessed using paired statistical tests (t-test or Wilcoxon signed rank test or McNemar's test, respectively). Comfort milestone prior to pediatric use: At least 8 of 10 adult participants must rate WiSLO imaging of equal or better comfort, and at least 5 of the participants must rate WiSLO better than the commercial handheld fundus camera. Further, the variabilities of results in use of the WiSLO versus commercial imaging systems will be contrasted. The relationships between WiSLO image findings vs color photograph findings and fundus pigmentation, age and other biological variables will be assessed graphically with scatterplots. Corresponding correlations will be computed to probe any associations between these biological measures and imaging outcomes.

Risks: There are no additional risks to participants beyond what is normal for standard ocular visualization and photographic procedures. Pharmacological pupil dilation will not be performed for research purposes.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

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

Inclusion criteria

  • Adults (≥18 years) that may or may not have eye pathology
  • Infant/child undergoing clinically-indicated examination that may or may not have eye pathology. NOTE: We will not enroll inpatient pre-term infants or neonates. The youngest age at enrollment will be 30 days adjusted age using the NICH NRN Web-based Adjusted Age Calculator.
  • Adults and infant/child with or without prior pupil dilation for clinical eye care visit
  • Adult participant is able and willing to consent to study participation
  • Parent/Legal Guardian is able and willing to consent to study participation for the minor
  • Pediatric participant >12 years is able and willing to assent to study participation

Exclusion criteria

  • Participant or Parent/Legal Guardian unwilling or unable to provide consent
  • Participant has a health or eye condition that would preclude eye examination or retinal imaging (e.g. evidence of inflammation or infection of ocular surface or eyelids, or corneal opacity or cataract)

Treatment and study plan

WiSLO

Device

Imaging with the research WiSLO device in non-contact mode (4 images from each eye)

Other names: Widefield scanning laser ophthalmoscope

Volk Pictor Plus™

Device

Imaging with the commercial handheld fundus camera, Volk Pictor Plus™ (4 images from each eye)

Primary outcomes

  1. Presence of microanatomy as measured by WiSLO image reading

    Time frame: Standard of care clinic visit - day 1

    Presence (Yes/No) of retinal anatomy as measured from WiSLO and commercial OCT grading

  2. Presence of abnormal microanatomy as measured by WiSLO image reading

    Time frame: Standard of care clinic visit - day 1

    Combination of presence (Yes/No) and severity (e.g., mild, moderate, severe) of abnormal retinal structures as measured from WiSLO images and commercially available fundus images.

  3. Presence of microanatomy from retinal photo imaging

    Time frame: Standard of care clinic visit - day 1

    Presence (Yes/No) of retinal microanatomy from commercially available fundus imaging (Volk Pictor Plus™) and WiSLO images.

  4. Severity of abnormal microanatomy from retinal photo imaging

    Time frame: Standard of care clinic visit - day 1

    Combination of presence (Yes/No) and severity (e.g., mild, moderate, severe) of abnormal retinal structures from commercially available fundus imaging (Volk Pictor Plus™) and WiSLO images.

  5. Time of image capture from WiSLO and commercially available fundus imaging

    Time frame: Standard of care clinic visit - day 1

    Assessment of time of image capture from both WiSLO and commercially available fundus imaging.

  6. Patient comfort as measured by Likert Scales

    Time frame: Standard of care clinic visit - day 1

    Determining subjective patient comfort and satisfaction using age appropriate Likert Scales for adults and minors (Likert scores 1 - 5)

  7. Patient satisfaction as measured by Likert Scales

    Time frame: Standard of care clinic visit - day 1

    Determining subjective patient comfort and satisfaction using age appropriate Likert Scales for adults and minors (Likert scores 1 - 5)

  8. Patient comfort as measured by CRIES evaluation

    Time frame: Standard of care clinic visit - day 1

    Determining subjective patient comfort and satisfaction CRIES evaluation (crying 0-4; facial expression 0-2; heart rate beats per minute; change in respiratory support).

  9. Patient satisfaction as measured by CRIES evaluation

    Time frame: Standard of care clinic visit - day 1

    Determining subjective patient comfort and satisfaction CRIES evaluation (crying 0-4; facial expression 0-2; heart rate beats per minute; change in respiratory support).

  10. Operator comfort as measured by Likert Scales

    Time frame: Standard of care clinic visit - day 1

    Determining subjective operator comfort and satisfaction using Likert Scales (Likert scores 1-5)

  11. Operator satisfaction as measured by Likert Scales

    Time frame: Standard of care clinic visit - day 1

    Determining subjective operator comfort and satisfaction using Likert Scales (Likert scores 1-5)

Study contacts

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

Cynthia A Toth, MD

CONTACT

[email protected]

(919) 684-9170

Michelle N McCall, MCAPM, BA

CONTACT

[email protected]

(919) 684-0544

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Duke University

Other

Collaborators

  • National Eye Institute (NEI)

Registry information

Acronym: WiSLO

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Dec 20, 2023
Registry last updated
Oct 8, 2025

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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