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Abstract:  Keratoconjunctivitis sicca is one of the most frequent diagnoses for seeking eye care. Accumulated evidence over the past three decades has revealed a significant contribution of several molecules contained in tears at the homeostasis of the epithelium of the ocular surface. Therefore, autologous blood serum in the form of eye drops can provide substantial help in the management of keratoconjunctivitis sicca. Also making this a favorable treatment for keratoconjunctivitis sicca is the fact that this approach has become an insurance-covered benefit in some countries. This report demonstrates a formulation of blood serum eye drops with the purpose of providing an alternative to the marked absence of a universally established protocol. Exclusion criteria, equipment, preservation, dosage, duration, and guidelines for patients are described. Also included are details on the treatment of one representative embodiment. All (pre-/post-)analytical considerations and the total cost are addressed. Outcome measures such as Schirmer’ s test, break up time, and Ocular Surface Disease Index score are recorded before treatment, at 1 and 2 months, ideally as monotherapy with 100% serum q.i.d. Blood serum isolated under aseptic conditions maintained throughout is delivered as a ready-to-use formulation to the patient. Serum eye drops should be included in the modern armamentarium against keratoconjunctivitis sicca, and, hopefully, their eventual widespread application will result in coverage by most if not all insurance funds. The implementation described contributes to the hopeful establishment of a standardized protocol and provides a potentially benefit of a low-cost, applicable treatment of the ocular epithelium without side effects.

Related Keywords: Ioannis Katsakoulas, BSc, Claudia Lougovoi, PhD, Penelope Paraskevopoulou, Nikolaos Vougiouskas, blood serum eye drops, keratoconjunctivitis sicca, tears, ocular surface, autologous blood serum, drug cost, dry eye syndrome, patient exclusion criteria, Ocular Surface Disease Index, break-up time test, Rose Bengal test, Schirmer test, aseptic compounding, blood products, serologic tests

Related Categories: FORMULATIONS, OPHTHALMICS, PEER-REVIEWED, STERILE PREPARATIONS, DOSAGE FORMS/DRUG CARRIERS, STORAGE

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