Recently, the Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, surveyed a group of Thai people aged 50-90 years and found that 14.21% of this group had dry eye disease. Dry eye disease varies in severity, so treatments differ. However, one increasingly popular method is the use of serum eye drops.
Treatment of Dry Eye Disease with Serum Eye Drops
Serum eye drops are made from the patient’s blood, which has biological properties similar to natural tears. Therefore, they are effective in treating dry eyes and are widely used in various hospitals.
Ophthalmologists consider different concentrations and preparation methods for serum eye drops, but the most commonly used is 20% Autologous Serum Eye Drops because it contains growth-stimulating substances close to natural tears, making it effective for severe dry eye disease and ocular surface diseases.
Who is Suitable for Serum Eye Drops? What are the Indications?
Ophthalmologists consider using serum eye drops for patients with severe dry eye disease and various ocular conditions as follows:
- Severe dry eye syndrome that has been fully treated with artificial tears or has undergone procedures such as punctal occlusion but without success, or is associated with Sjögren’s syndrome, etc.
- Ocular surface disease including severe allergic reactions like Stevens-Johnson syndrome and ocular inflammation such as Ocular Cicatricial Pemphigoid (OCP)
- Persistent Epithelial Defect where corneal wounds heal slowly, such as in diabetic patients, herpes infections, shingles, or after corneal transplant surgery
- Other patient groups such as severe dry eye syndrome following stem cell transplantation, chronic corneal wounds after eye surgery, etc.
Dr. Kittikamon Wongpaisansin
Ophthalmologist specializing in cornea and refractive surgery
and Head of Ophthalmology Center
Phayathai 3 Hospital Eye Clinic
