“Fingerprick Autologous Blood: a Novel Treatment for Dry Eye Syndrome”, 2017-06-16 ():
Background: Dry eye syndrome (DES) causes substantial morbidity. Trials of blood-derived products 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.
Patients & methods: Prospective, non-comparative, interventional case series. In total, 29 eyes of 16 DES patients (2 males and 14 females) from two NHS sites in the United Kingdom. Patients 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× daily for 8 weeks then stop and review 4 weeks later. Follow-up visits occurred ~3 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: At 8 weeks, there was improvement in mean Oxford corneal staining grade (3.31 → 2.07 (p < 0.0001)), TBUT (5.00 → 7.80 s (p < 0.05)), visual acuity (0.08 → 0.01 LogMAR equivalent (p < 0.05)), and OCI score (56.03 → 39.72 (p < 0.0001)). There was no statistically-significant change in Schirmer’s test results. 4 weeks post-cessation versus immediately after completion of FAB therapy, mean staining grade worsened from 2.07 → 2.86 (p < 0.0001). OCI score worsened from 39.72 → 44.67 (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: In our limited case series FAB appears to be a safe and effective treatment for DES.