SurgeryGLOWNCT07218289
Green Light for Post-Operative Wellness
A study testing Bright Green Light Therapy and Dim White Light Therapy in people with Surgery, run by Rebecca E Kotcher, MD at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
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… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Surgery
- What is being tested?
- Bright Green Light Therapy and Dim White Light Therapy
- Type of treatment
- Medical device
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 60 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 14 Jan 2026to 1 Dec 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- 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
Who cannot join
- 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
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Dayana Alsamsam, BSPS, MSc contact
United States1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
UPMC Shadyside Hospital
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15232
Amy Monroe, MPH, MBA, 412-623-6382, monroeal@upmc.edu
Dayana Alsamsam, BSPS,MSc, 412-623-4147, alsamsamd@upmc.edu
About this study
Official title: Green Light Therapy to Reduce Pain and Promote Wellness After Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial in Adult Post-Operative Patients
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.
Read more
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.
Read the detailed description
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.
- Conditions
- Surgery
- Being tested
- Bright Green Light Therapy, Dim White Light Therapy
- Keywords
- light therapy, post-operative pain, depression, anxiety, post-operative recovery
- Medical subject headings
- Pain, Postoperative, Depression, Anxiety Disorders
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Bright Green Light TherapyDevice
Day Light Classic Plus light therapy lamp with filter to yield bright green light.
Dim White Light TherapyDevice
Day Light Classic Plus light therapy lamp with filter to yield dim white light.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Bright Green Light Exposure Arm | Experimental | Subjects randomized to this group will be exposed to bright green light via the Day Light Classic Plus light therapy lamp fitted with an appropriate color filter. The light will be administered for 4 hours daily for up to three days post-operatively while the subject is in the hospital. Receives: Device: Bright Green Light Therapy |
| Dim White Light Exposure Arm | Active comparator | Subjects randomized to this group will be exposed to dim white light via the Day Light Classic Plus light therapy lamp fitted with an appropriate color filter. The light will be administered for 4 hours daily for up to three days post-operatively while the subject is in the hospital. Receives: Device: Dim White Light Therapy |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Incisional Pain Intensity with Movement
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.
Measured: Post-Operative Day 2
Secondary outcomes (7)
Incisional Pain Intensity at Rest
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.
Measured: Post-Operative Day 2
Oral Morphine Equivalents (OME)
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.
Measured: Post-Operative Day 1, and Post-Operative Day 2
Sleep Disturbance
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.
Measured: Post-Operative Day 7
Depression
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.
Measured: Post-Operative Day 7
Anxiety
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.
Measured: Post-Operative Day 7
Overall quality of Post-Operative Recovery
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.
Measured: on Post-Operative Day 2, and Post-Operative Day 7
Hospital Length of Stay
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.
Measured: Up to 30 Days Post-Operatively
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted20 Oct 2025
- Study start14 Jan 2026
- Primary completion1 Dec 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion1 Dec 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for SurgeryStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 60 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Rebecca E Kotcher, MD
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor-investigator, Rebecca E Kotcher, MD, University of Pittsburgh
- Investigators
- Rebecca Kotcher, MD, Principal investigator, University of Pittsburgh, UPMC
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07218289
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- STUDY25080068
- Acronym
- GLOW
- Status last verified
- Dec 2025
- First submitted
- 15 Oct 2025
- Last updated
- 12 Feb 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- Yes
- Individual data sharing
- No: In the future, the investigators may decide to share data with other investigators both within or outside of this institution. If this were to occur, the investigators would de-identify all of the information prior to sharing data in this way.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 12 Feb 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Green Light Therapy to Reduce Pain and Promote Wellness After Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial in Adult Post-Operative Patients
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07218289
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- GLOW / STUDY25080068
- Conditions
- Surgery
- Keywords
- light therapy, post-operative pain, depression, anxiety, post-operative recovery
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 60 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Rebecca E Kotcher, MDUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 14 Jan 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 1 Dec 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 1 Dec 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 20 Oct 2025 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
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.
Detailed description
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.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Bright Green Light Exposure Arm | Experimental | Device: Bright Green Light TherapySubjects randomized to this group will be exposed to bright green light via the Day Light Classic Plus light therapy lamp fitted with an appropriate color filter. The light will be administered for 4 hours daily for up to three days post-operatively while the subject is in the hospital. |
| Dim White Light Exposure Arm | Active comparator | Device: Dim White Light TherapySubjects randomized to this group will be exposed to dim white light via the Day Light Classic Plus light therapy lamp fitted with an appropriate color filter. The light will be administered for 4 hours daily for up to three days post-operatively while the subject is in the hospital. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- 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
Key exclusion criteria (6 listed)
- 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
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Bright Green Light TherapyDay Light Classic Plus light therapy lamp with filter to yield bright green light. | Device | Bright Green Light Exposure Arm |
| Dim White Light TherapyDay Light Classic Plus light therapy lamp with filter to yield dim white light. | Device | Dim White Light Exposure Arm |
Primary outcome
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.
7 secondary outcomes
Incisional Pain Intensity at Rest
Time frame: Post-Operative Day 2
Oral Morphine Equivalents (OME)
Time frame: Post-Operative Day 1, and Post-Operative Day 2
Sleep Disturbance
Time frame: Post-Operative Day 7
Depression
Time frame: Post-Operative Day 7
Anxiety
Time frame: Post-Operative Day 7
Overall quality of Post-Operative Recovery
Time frame: on Post-Operative Day 2, and Post-Operative Day 7
Hospital Length of Stay
Time frame: Up to 30 Days Post-Operatively
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 12 Feb 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. In the future, the investigators may decide to share data with other investigators both within or outside of this institution. If this were to occur, the investigators would de-identify all of the information prior to sharing data in this way.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Dayana Alsamsam, BSPS, MSc contact
Rebecca Kotcher, MD principal investigator
University of Pittsburgh, UPMC
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Bright Green Light Therapy and Dim White Light Therapy in people with Surgery, run by Rebecca E Kotcher, MD at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 6 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 12 Feb 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Amy Monroe, MPH, MBA (412-623-6382, monroeal@upmc.edu), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Incisional Pain Intensity with Movement (time frame: Post-Operative Day 2). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 12 Feb 2026.