Call The Atlantis Dry Eye Clinic in Melbourne, Florida
to schedule a consultation: 321-777-1670
to schedule a consultation: 321-777-1670
Autologous Serum
The process of collecting Autologpus Serum is where we draw the patients own blood and have it spun down to an be used as a natural tear that their body created.
What are autologous serum eye drops?
ASEDs are highly effective, well-tolerated and have ingredients that artificial tears just can’t replicate, but which promote healthy growth and healing of the ocular surface (called the cornea). Some of the ingredients in ASEDs that are found in natural tears but which aren’t available in artificial tears include antibodies, albumin, Vitamin A, and special growth factors important for healthy eyes known as epidermal growth factors.
*Note that ASEDs are not tear substitutes and are often used in conjunction with other treatment modalities such as artificial tears, DELIT laser, punctal plugs, in patients requiring more advanced eye treatment.
Do autologous serum eye drops work?
In patients with moderate to severe dry eye disease, we have found that ASEDs often help their eyes feel better, see better and, in persons with damaged or operated corneas, heal better.
In addition to improving the quality of a patient’s tear film, we have observed that using the serum for eyes helps improve the health of the delicate nerves on the eye’s surface. Because we've found that the beneficial effect of artificial tears has its limitations, we sometimes administer ASEDs to improve the healing potential of the ocular surface before and after certain surgeries such as corneal transplants and vitrectomies.
How are eye drops made from my own blood cells?
The process for making lubricating eye drops via your own blood collection is pretty simple and convenient. A very small amount of your blood is drawn at our office by a professional technician using sterile technique and strict quality controls. This takes about 15 minutes and doesn’t require fasting.
The blood is then placed into a centrifuge and separated into its components. The blood serum is collected, combined with sterile saline and divided into many small dropper bottles. The serum to saline ratio may vary according to your doctor’s assessment of the severity of your dry eye disease. This process takes up to three hours, so we give you the option of returning later that day to pick up your vials or coming back the following day. You leave with a several month supply of drops, depending on your dosing frequency.
The prepared eye drops are placed in the freezer to maintain optimal freshness and retard the growth of harmful microorganisms for up to 6 months. We instruct our patients to thaw one vial at a time in their refrigerator for daily use. A vial should last for several days if the eye drops are applied four times daily. Because the eye drops are preservative-free, once opened, a thawed vial should be used within 3 days.
The Atlantis Dry Eye Clinic utilizes only professional phlebotomists trained in drawing and handling blood products and uses sterile equipment dedicated exclusively to the preparation of eye drops.
You are given written instructions with safe storage and eye drop usage instructions to ensure that there’s no confusion in how to use your drops for the best results. Most patients notice an improvement in symptoms as soon as 2 weeks from beginning ASED therapy.
How effective are autologous serum eye drops?
ASEDs have shown to be fairly effective in treating moderate to severe dry eye over the 20 years since its introduction and has had few known adverse events. Serum drops have been used to treat a wide range of ocular surface diseases: from severe dry eye syndrome caused by rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren's syndrome, keratitis, or keratoconjunctivitis sicca, to moderate temporary dry eye symptoms following LASIK surgery. Because these eye drops are derived from the patient's own blood as opposed to that of blood donors, there is no risk of eye drop rejection (known as graft versus host disease).
Specialty ophthalmology groups such as the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, the Tear Film and Ocular Surface Society, and the International Task Force on Dry Eye all recommend ASEDs to treat moderate to severe dry eye based on their members’ success in treating dry eye symptoms with ASEDs.
What do autologous serum eye drops cost?
One of the reasons that ASEDs aren’t widely used is because they are not covered by most health insurance since this treatment does not have FDA approval. And this treatment is costly because it requires the preparation of a custom medication using each patient’s blood.
ASEDs are highly effective, well-tolerated and have ingredients that artificial tears just can’t replicate, but which promote healthy growth and healing of the ocular surface (called the cornea). Some of the ingredients in ASEDs that are found in natural tears but which aren’t available in artificial tears include antibodies, albumin, Vitamin A, and special growth factors important for healthy eyes known as epidermal growth factors.
*Note that ASEDs are not tear substitutes and are often used in conjunction with other treatment modalities such as artificial tears, DELIT laser, punctal plugs, in patients requiring more advanced eye treatment.
Do autologous serum eye drops work?
In patients with moderate to severe dry eye disease, we have found that ASEDs often help their eyes feel better, see better and, in persons with damaged or operated corneas, heal better.
In addition to improving the quality of a patient’s tear film, we have observed that using the serum for eyes helps improve the health of the delicate nerves on the eye’s surface. Because we've found that the beneficial effect of artificial tears has its limitations, we sometimes administer ASEDs to improve the healing potential of the ocular surface before and after certain surgeries such as corneal transplants and vitrectomies.
How are eye drops made from my own blood cells?
The process for making lubricating eye drops via your own blood collection is pretty simple and convenient. A very small amount of your blood is drawn at our office by a professional technician using sterile technique and strict quality controls. This takes about 15 minutes and doesn’t require fasting.
The blood is then placed into a centrifuge and separated into its components. The blood serum is collected, combined with sterile saline and divided into many small dropper bottles. The serum to saline ratio may vary according to your doctor’s assessment of the severity of your dry eye disease. This process takes up to three hours, so we give you the option of returning later that day to pick up your vials or coming back the following day. You leave with a several month supply of drops, depending on your dosing frequency.
The prepared eye drops are placed in the freezer to maintain optimal freshness and retard the growth of harmful microorganisms for up to 6 months. We instruct our patients to thaw one vial at a time in their refrigerator for daily use. A vial should last for several days if the eye drops are applied four times daily. Because the eye drops are preservative-free, once opened, a thawed vial should be used within 3 days.
The Atlantis Dry Eye Clinic utilizes only professional phlebotomists trained in drawing and handling blood products and uses sterile equipment dedicated exclusively to the preparation of eye drops.
You are given written instructions with safe storage and eye drop usage instructions to ensure that there’s no confusion in how to use your drops for the best results. Most patients notice an improvement in symptoms as soon as 2 weeks from beginning ASED therapy.
How effective are autologous serum eye drops?
ASEDs have shown to be fairly effective in treating moderate to severe dry eye over the 20 years since its introduction and has had few known adverse events. Serum drops have been used to treat a wide range of ocular surface diseases: from severe dry eye syndrome caused by rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren's syndrome, keratitis, or keratoconjunctivitis sicca, to moderate temporary dry eye symptoms following LASIK surgery. Because these eye drops are derived from the patient's own blood as opposed to that of blood donors, there is no risk of eye drop rejection (known as graft versus host disease).
Specialty ophthalmology groups such as the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, the Tear Film and Ocular Surface Society, and the International Task Force on Dry Eye all recommend ASEDs to treat moderate to severe dry eye based on their members’ success in treating dry eye symptoms with ASEDs.
What do autologous serum eye drops cost?
One of the reasons that ASEDs aren’t widely used is because they are not covered by most health insurance since this treatment does not have FDA approval. And this treatment is costly because it requires the preparation of a custom medication using each patient’s blood.
Schedule an Appointment
If you are experiencing dry eye symptoms that affect your daily quality of life, contact us to make an appointment for an examination and consultation with Dr. Mandese. Please call 321-777-1670.