Could a daily electric zap to the eye preserve sight in dry AMD?

NCT ID NCT07700147

What the study statuses mean

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting This study
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jul 13, 2026 · Last updated Jul 14, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This trial investigates whether a personal-use electric stimulator, worn at home for 30 minutes daily, can improve vision in people with early to intermediate dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Participants are randomly assigned to receive either real or sham stimulation for 12 weeks. The study measures changes in visual acuity and contrast sensitivity, and tracks any side effects.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
transcutaneous electrical stimulation device (LRTPM1)
What this could lead to
If effective, this device could offer a non-invasive, at-home treatment to slow vision loss and improve visual function in people with dry AMD.
What could go wrong
This is a small, early exploratory trial with only 40 participants. The sham-controlled design helps, but results may not generalize, and the device may not provide meaningful benefit.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

About 40 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Expected to start

Jul 2026

An estimate. Start dates often move.

Expected to finish

Apr 2028

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

A company

The lead sponsor is a pharmaceutical, biotech, or medical-device company.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

50 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Participants aged 50 years or older 2. Participants diagnosed with early or intermediate dry age-related macular degeneration 3. Participants with best corrected visual acuity measured by the ETDRS visual acuity chart of 20/200 or better and 20/30 or worse 4. Participants who have voluntarily decided to participate in the study and have provided written informed consent. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Participants with atrophy involving the foveal center with a diameter of 175 micrometers or greater in at least one eye, as observed by fundus examination or fundus autofluorescence imaging 2. Participants with exudative age-related macular degeneration in at least one eye, as observed by fundus examination or optical coherence tomography (OCT) 3. Participants with a history of intraocular injection therapy or macular laser treatment, including focal laser photocoagulation or photodynamic therapy 4. Participants with retinal or choroidal diseases other than early or intermediate age-related macular degeneration that may affect the study results, including diabetic retinopathy, retinal artery occlusion, retinal vein occlusion, central serous chorioretinopathy, optic neuritis, or uveitis 5. Participants who have undergone vitrectomy due to retinal disease, or cataract surgery within 1 month prior to screening 6. Participants with ocular media opacity or other conditions that, in the investigator's opinion, may make ophthalmic imaging difficult to interpret, including cataract, vitreous opacity, or vitreous hemorrhage 7. Participants with uncontrolled chronic systemic diseases, including diabetes mellitus or chronic kidney disease, or a history of malignancy, except for cases with no recurrence within the past 5 years and no history of chemotherapy 8. Participants with autoimmune diseases, including Sjögren's syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, or Graves' disease 9. Participants with severe hearing impairment, sensory abnormalities, or cognitive impairment that may make it difficult to properly perform the study procedures or recognize or report adverse events 10. Participants who are hypersensitive to orbital nerve stimulation and are unable to receive treatment 11. Participants with a history of drug or alcohol abuse 12. Participants diagnosed with psychiatric disorders, including depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or dementia 13. Participants who have participated in another clinical trial within 30 days prior to screening 14. Participants who are considered to have other contraindications to use of the investigational medical device, including underlying cardiac disease, seizure-related disorders, implanted metal or electronic devices in the head or neck area including deep brain stimulators, unexplained pain, implanted or wearable pacemakers, or other conditions listed in the product precautions and contraindications. Dental implants are exempt. 15. Participants who, in the opinion of the investigator, are deemed inappropriate for participation in the study 16. Female participants of childbearing potential who do not agree to use medically accepted contraception during the study period. Medically accepted methods of contraception include condoms, oral contraceptives used consistently for at least 3 months, injectable or implantable contraceptives, or intrauterine devices.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

How to take part

Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.

  1. The places running it

    3 sites. The list below names each one and where it is.

  2. The official record

    ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

    Open the record ↗

  3. A doctor treating you

    A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Asan Medical Center

    Seoul, 05505, South Korea

  • Korea University Ansan Hospital

    Ansan, Gyeonggi-do, 15355, South Korea

  • Seoul National University Hospital

    Seoul, Jongno-gu, 03080, South Korea

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