Fingerprick autologous blood: a novel treatment for dry eye syndrome and persistent epithelial defects

Session Details

Session Title: Cornea Medical II

Session Date/Time: Tuesday 13/09/2016 | 08:00-10:30

Paper Time: 08:42

Venue: Hall C3

First Author: : S.Balal UK

Co Author(s): :    A. Sharma   N. Nesaratnam   J. Than   J. Wawrzynski   B. Kumar   A. Patel     

Abstract Details

Purpose:

Dry eye syndrome (DES) secondary to Sjögren’s syndrome (SS) causes significant morbidity. Trials of blood-derived products (e.g. autologous serum, platelet-derived plasma) in treatment of the condition show promising results. However, their production is expensive and time-consuming. We investigate fingerprick autologous blood (FAB) as an alternative low-cost, readily accessible treatment for DES, and also for persistent epithelial defects (PED).

Setting:

Moorfields eye hospital, Bedford, United Kingdom Milton Keynes General Hospital, United Kingdom Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust, United Kingdom

Methods:

Patients with recalcitrant DES/PED were instructed to clean a finger, prick with a blood lancet, and apply a drop of blood to the lower fornix of the affected eye(s), 4 times daily for 8 weeks. Follow-up visits occurred 4 days, 2, 4, 8 weeks into therapy, and 4 weeks post-cessation. At each visit, visual acuity, corneal staining, Schirmer’s test, tear break-up time (TBUT), and ocular comfort index (OCI) were measured, and photographs taken. Results were analysed using Student’s paired t-test.

Results:

7 DES patients (13 eyes) were recruited. At 8 weeks, there was improvement in mean visual acuity (logMAR 0.28 to 0.18 (p=0.02)), Oxford corneal staining grade (3.46 to 2.18 (p=0.006)), and OCI score (57.86 to 32.33 (p=0.02)). Schirmer’s and TBUT improved, without statistical significance. 4 weeks post-cessation, mean acuity, staining grade and OCI worsened. 2 PED patients showed resolution after 1 month. No complications were seen.

Conclusions:

In our small multi centre pilot study FAB appears to be a safe and effective treatment for DES secondary to SS, and PED.

Financial Disclosure:

NONE