Autologous Serum for Chronic Dry Eye
- Blood is used to make eye drops.
- These eye drops look like real tears.
- There are barriers to treatment for chronic dry eye, but they may ease symptoms with few side effects.
Everyone gets dry eyes. It is a matter of chronic dry eye. Quality of life can be affected by burning sensation, tearing and blurry vision.
Dry eye affects 5% to 34% of the world’s population. Many turn to artificial tears for temporary relief. However, artificial tears don’t have all the nutrients of natural tears that help maintain the tear film.
The eye drops are very close to tears. They are made from your own blood and have important biological and immune protective factors.
We will look at the benefits of autologous serum for chronic dry eye and what to consider before moving forward.
A product that comes from the same person is called autologous. You can make your own autologous eye drops. You are both the donor and the recipient.
“A nurse or phlebotomist will draw blood from your arm. You don’t need to fast before the procedure.”
The blood clot goes into a machine. This separates the components from the serum.
The serum is removed and thenDiluted.
- A balanced salt solution.
- Normal A drug. is free of preservative-free substances.
- Another sterile, eye- compatible solution.
The eye dropper bottles are sterile. It must be frozen until you are ready to use it. You need to keep it refrigerated once you start using it.
The serum is very similar to actual tears, but it
- A type of vitamins.
- lysozyme
- Transforming growth factor is a factor.
- Inflammation.
And less.
- IgA is a type of immune systemglobulin.
- EGF is a growth factor.
- The vitamins C and D.
The same biochemical components are found in autologous eye drops as in real tears. These properties are thought to help treat dry eye disease by reducing inflammation.
People with severe ocular surface disorders are especially effective at using autologous eye drops.
- Stevens-Johnson syndrome is a genetic condition.
- The pemphigoid is an insect.
- There are injuries to the body.
- The burns are thermal.
Some people seem to like the use of autologous eye drops. There are a few things that make it hard to study effectiveness.
There is no standardized formula. Some prescriptions are more complex than others.
“They are made from each person’s own blood. It is hard to compare results among people because they are unique to an individual.”
A
- There is only artificial tears.
- A drug.
- placebo
- No treatment at all.
The researchers concluded that the eye drops might be better for two weeks. They did not find any information to make conclusions about long-term results.
A 2020 review of randomized control trials found that autologous serum eye drops could be an effective treatment for dry eye disease. All seven studies in this meta-analysis showed that the drops were more effective at relieving symptoms than artificial tears.
A small, double-blind
Larger studies are needed to fully assess effectiveness.
Most people are tolerant of autologous serum.
The drops are made from your own blood, so there’s no risk of rejection. But because there are no preservatives, there’s some risk of contamination. If you use contaminated eye drops, you could develop an infection. However, there are very few reports of adverse events due to contamination.
Some people have a problem with blood draws. A minor site reaction can be caused by a needle stick. If you have a problem with blood draws, you might have a problem with other things.
- Fear of needles.
- Hard to get to veins.
- low level of red blood cells.
- Time constraints and transportation make blood draws difficult.
“Most health policies in the US don’t cover autologous eye drops. It is best to check with your insurer before making an appointment.”
The cost will vary depending on the facility. It will cost several hundred dollars for a 2- or 3-month supply.
If you have a dry eye, you can use autologous eye drops.
The drops were used from 2 weeks to 6 months in clinical trials. Your eye doctor will check your eyes periodically to make sure you are using them correctly.
“It is difficult to live with chronic dry eye. If other treatments don’t help, autologous eye drops might be worth a try. The eye drops are made from your own blood.”
There are a few things to consider if you are considering getting this treatment. It means you need to have your blood drawn. You must keep the drops refrigerated once you start using them. It is important to avoidcontamination because there are no Preservatives.
Your health insurance may not cover this treatment. You should investigate your coverage and out-of-pocket costs in advance.
The eye drops may help relieve symptoms of dry eye.
If you are a good candidate for autologous eye drops, you should talk to your eye doctor. If you have problems with blood draws, you should ask if using donor blood is a good option.
