Bad Side Effects with Serum Eye Drops???

[txmimi]

I tried 20% serum eye drops last month and am unable to use them. Immediately after putting them in, my eyes get significantly bloodshot, my vision blurs, my eyelids begin to swell, and my sinuses get clogged. By the afternoon, after I've used them every fours hours as prescribed, my eyelids are almost swollen closed. By bedtime the swelling has extended down my face to my cheeks.

I've looked through numerous posts here and can't find one other person with the side effects I'm having. I'm only using the serum drops and nothing else, so the side effects can't be blamed on another product. The pharmacy states the mixing solution is a simple saline solution. I've had no other problems with eye drop products having saline solution as an ingredient. My eye doctor has no suggestions, as I'm his only patient on serum drops. (I stopped using the drops after trying them for three days.).

Has anyone experienced this? Any ideas what the problem is - and please don't say it may not be my blood or I will truly freak out!!!

[Guest]

Wow! So sorry to hear about your bad luck with the serum drops... I think that your reaction has got to be extremely rare - what a bummer!

I must admit I have no idea how the serum drops could do such a thing... if you're up to it, maybe try searching PubMed to see if there are any case reports of anyone with a similar reaction?? Maybe you'll find some answers...

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed

[Rebecca Petris]

I hope you quit using them immediately...

I would guess they were not properly prepared. This stuff sounds simple but it's actually finnicky and I have known people to get infections from poor preparations. A friend of mine was involved with setting up a clinical trial and the FDA was incredibly demanding about every particular of how the stuff was handled. I'm waiting for some feedback from an experienced doctor on this and will post again when I hear.

[txmimi]

Thank you both for your responses. I'll be interested in hearing what you find out Rebecca.

[irish eyes]

Hi Txmimi

I know I'm a bit late in chiming in with this one.

I use these drops and haven't had any problems. However, I recalled reading about a reaction in one case. It's taken from:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12692625

Autologous serum eye drops for the treatment of severe dry eye in patients with chronic graft-versus-host disease.

......One of these other seven patients developed eczema around the eyelids, after which the treatment was discontinued. No serious adverse events were observed. We conclude that autologous serum eye drops are safe and effective for treating severe dry eye associated with cGVHD and that more efficient control of dry eye may be achieved by the combined use of autologous serum eye drops with punctal plugs..........

I agree with Rebecca's view on it possibly being caused by faulty preparation. This (remote) possibility is always pointed out to me by the nurse when I go to donate my blood.

[Rebecca Petris]

Comment from doc was that this response indicates it was contaminated and you should discard it all.

I'm going to email you a study about serum preparation. It would be a good idea for the doctor and pharmacist to have a look at it.

[MBC]

Was wondering how you made out with the serum drops. I have been on them since last November and they are a real life saver. I went from a schirmer test of zero to a three in a few months and the difference is astounding. I do hope you will try another doctor and pharmacy and see if you can try again. You mentioned that you are the only patient of your doctor. You must also be the only patient for the pharmacist as well and so he is not trained in how to make them. If you can, get to a major research institute where they have many patients who use these drops

[dryeyes2]

my experience with serum tears

Hi everyone,

My experience with serum tears has been disappointing. I started on them in the middle of January. I feel like my eyes are more dry. I also started trying the warm compresses again about 2 weeks ago. I have cut down on how warm they are and that helps with the irritation, but I am not sure they are doing any good either.

I am going back on just Dwelle for now and maybe some Freshkote.

I was going to try doxy drops, but the cost is super high, so that's a no-go too.

Best wishes,
dryeyes2

[shirley bailey]

shirl

I hope you quit using them immediately...

I would guess they were not properly prepared. This stuff sounds simple but it's actually finnicky and I have known people to get infections from poor preparations. A friend of mine was involved with setting up a clinical trial and the FDA was incredibly demanding about every particular of how the stuff was handled. I'm waiting for some feedback from an experienced doctor on this and will post again when I hear.

I have been useing serum eye drops for quite a while, cost for 3mths supply 250$ I have heard a lot of good things about fresh kote I may try, to keep my costs down, as I don't think altho, (kind of maintaining) is not the magic one if you know what i mean?