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Chromatic Retinal Stimulation to Reduce Chronic Pain and Pain Sensitivity

Who can join

Ages 18 to 65 · All sexes

Inclusion Criteria:

* Adults greater than or equal to 18 and less than or equal to 65.
* Individuals who have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia or chronic low back pain by their physician.
* Individuals who experience an average pain severity greater than 4/10 in intensity at baseline.
* Willingness to wear a battery-operated portable ganzfeld light stimulator device for 2 hours per day at the same time each day (ideally complete the light therapy session between 5 am-10 am each morning) for 5 days.
* Alert and oriented, and able to provide informed consent
* Ability to read and speak English to complete validated questionnaires.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Vision disorders or conditions resulting in severe vision impairment or blindness
* Individuals with self-report of color blindness
* Prisoner Status
* Pregnancy
* No other history or condition that would, in the investigator's judgment, indicate that the patient would very likely be non-compliant with the study or unsuitable for the study (e.g., might interfere with the study, confound interpretation, or endanger the patient).
* History of seizure disorder

About the study

Participants with chronic pain conditions including chronic low back pain and fibromyalgia may benefit from light stimuli presented to the retina to reduce chronic pain severity and pain sensitivity. Participants will be recruited into this study and will be presented with one of three uniform light stimuli via a wide-field ganzfeld in three conditions to determine the retinal mechanisms that reduce pain. This work will lead to a greater understanding of retinal mechanisms that contribute to pain and will assist the design of future studies to harness the potential of light based pain therapies.

What is being tested

• Green Light stimulation (device)
• Equal Energy White stimulation (device)
• S-cone modulating white light (device)

Sponsor: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill · Participants: 20 · Started: Aug 25, 2023

Contact the study team

• Matthew C Mauck, MD, PhD · Phone: 919-966-5136

Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT05956067

Locations in the U.S.

Conditions

• Chronic Pain
• Fibromyalgia

From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Nov 15, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.