Effective Serum Tears for Severe Dry Eye Disease Treatment

Serum tears, a promising treatment for severe dry eye disease, harness the healing power of natural proteins and growth factors. Both autologous and allogeneic options are available to restore comfort and ocular health.

Table of Contents

Autologous and Allogeneic Serum Tears: A Promising Treatment for Severe Dry Eye
Understanding Serum Tears and Their Role in Dry Eye Treatment
How Do Autologous Serum Tears Work?
What Makes Allogeneic Serum Tears a Valuable Alternative?
Key Components and How They Help the Eye
Effective Serum Tears for Severe Dry Eye Disease Treatment
Effective Serum Tears for Severe Dry Eye Disease Treatment
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Autologous and Allogeneic Serum Tears: A Promising Treatment for Severe Dry Eye

Dry eye disease (DED) is a chronic condition in which the eyes either do not produce enough tears or the quality of the tears is compromised. When standard treatments such as artificial tears fail to provide the relief patients need, serum tears offer a natural, biologic alternative. In this article, our eye doctors explain how both autologous (from your own blood) and allogeneic (from a donor’s blood) serum tears work and why they could be the answer for severe, refractory dry eye.

Understanding Serum Tears and Their Role in Dry Eye Treatment

Tears are more than just water; they are a complex mixture of proteins, vitamins, growth factors, and other nutrients that are essential for maintaining the health of the ocular surface. Autologous serum tears (ASTs) are made from a patient’s own blood, which is processed to isolate the serum that shares many components with natural tears. Allogeneic serum tears, by contrast, come from a carefully screened donor and provide an alternative for patients who cannot safely donate their own blood.

These serum tears have shown notable benefits in patients suffering from severe dry eye conditions, including those associated with autoimmune disorders like Sjögren’s syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, and other ocular surface diseases. By supplying essential nutrients missing in conventional artificial tears, serum tears aim to restore the ocular surface, promote healing, and reduce inflammation.

How Do Autologous Serum Tears Work?

The concept behind autologous serum tears is based on the fact that the blood serum contains growth factors, proteins, vitamins, and enzymes similar to those found in natural tears. When artificial tears are no longer sufficient to manage symptoms, drawing on one’s own serum can provide a tailored, biocompatible treatment that facilitates regeneration of the ocular surface.

Here’s the process our eye doctors use:

Blood Draw: A small amount (typically around 40 ml) of the patient’s blood is collected using sterile techniques.
Centrifugation: The blood is then spun in a centrifuge to separate the serum from red and white blood cells.
Quality Testing: The separated serum is carefully tested to ensure that it meets safety and purity standards.
Dilution and Formulation: The serum is then diluted with a preservative-free sterile saline solution to achieve a concentration that ranges from 20% to 100%, based on the severity of the disease. Most commonly, a 20–50% solution is used for patients with severe DED.
Packaging and Storage: The final product is bottled in small dropper vials (usually 3 ml) and must be kept frozen until ready for use. Once thawed, the drops are typically stored in a refrigerator and used within 48 hours to prevent contamination.

Because autologous serum tears are derived from a patient’s own blood, they are highly biocompatible and carry a minimal risk of immune rejection or adverse reactions. This makes them an attractive option for those with the most severe forms of dry eye.

Contact our team to schedule a consultation and find out if serum tears are the right choice for your dry eye treatment.

What Makes Allogeneic Serum Tears a Valuable Alternative?

Not every patient is a candidate for autologous serum tear production. Some patients may have poor venous access, low hemoglobin levels, or systemic conditions that make repeated blood draws unsafe or unfeasible. This is where allogeneic serum tears come in handy.

Allogeneic serum tears are made from the blood of a carefully screened donor, typically one whose blood type is compatible with the patient’s own (often from a donor with type AB, known as the universal plasma donor). The preparation process for allogeneic serum tears mirrors that of autologous drops, ensuring that the final product contains similar concentrations of growth factors, proteins, and healing agents.

The advantages of allogeneic serum tears include:

They are a safe alternative for patients unable to provide their own serum.
Blood from screened donors is processed and available in larger quantities, which can help lower costs and increase accessibility.
They maintain the same healing potential as autologous serum tears, as far as the essential biochemical components are concerned.

Both autologous and allogeneic serum tears have shown comparable efficacy in improving tear film stability, reducing inflammation, and promoting corneal healing. This makes them an attractive second-line or even early treatment alternative for patients with inflammatory ocular surface disease that does not respond well to standard therapies.

Key Components and How They Help the Eye

The effectiveness of serum tears lies in their rich composition:

Growth Factors: Elements such as epidermal growth factor (EGF) and nerve growth factor (NGF) help stimulate cell migration, proliferation, and the regeneration of corneal nerves, essential for healing and improving corneal sensitivity.
Proteins and Antioxidants: Albumin and other proteins help lubricate the ocular surface and provide antioxidant properties, reducing the oxidative stress that contributes to the inflammatory cycle in dry eye disease.
Vitamins: Components like vitamin A are crucial for maintaining the health of the corneal epithelium and promoting a robust tear film.
Cytokines and Enzymes: Although serum tears may contain some inflammatory cytokines, careful dilution (typically 20–50%) minimizes their impact while still promoting the wound-healing process.

By mimicking the natural composition of tears, serum tears help restore the ocular surface to a more natural and healthy state. This not only improves patient comfort but also enhances the overall stability of the tear film, leading to lasting improvements in vision quality and eye comfort.