Fingerprick Autologous Blood

[PhoenixEyes]

Update: In October 2019 the doctor who started the research posted a very useful instruction video on how to do FAB on the Moorfields Eye Hospital Youtube channel:

Soothing dry eyes with a drop of blood: Specialists say new technique can help eyes stay nourished 26 August 2017

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/ar...rop-blood.html

I've actually started doing this under advice of a cornea specialist in UK here due to how difficult it is to get autologous serum funded. I asked if I needed to be screened for HIV etc. first but they said that's more for others safety than my own, and as I'm the only one handling the blood there's no need. I sterilize finger with an alcohol wipe, prick with a lancet like diabetics use and then place the blood inside lower eyelid 4 times a day. I clean eyelids afterwards with WaterWipes. Recently also started using VitalBaby Aquaint too (similar products are Natrasan, Avenova, Heyedrate, Hypochlor, Briotech etc.). I do also use Ocusoft Plus and Optase Tea Tree once a day but felt it'd get expensive to use those 4 times a day.

It hasn't been a cure for me but has taken the edge off the pain, I'm guessing those with less complications than me would hopefully find it even more effective. I invested in a fancy dancy Genteel lancing device via Amazon but the NHS can provide lancets, alcohol wipes etc. It's in phase 3 of trials in UK here.

I read an old study that said whole blood may have more thymosin beta 4 than serum or plasma, a thymosin beta 4 eye drop is in development, RGN-259, for dry eye pain and inflammation.

If anyone has questions feel free to ask.

Case reports:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5108532/

Phase 3 clinical trial ongoing:

https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02153515

Research paper powerpoint with further information and instructions:

https://www.researchgate.net/publica...efects?fref=gc

An earlier article from 2016:

http://www.eurotimes.org/dry-eye-pat...ngers/?fref=gc

Thymosin Beta 4 in whole blood versus serum and plasma

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3654821

[pharmacy91]

This sounds promising. It's just hard to believe that still today there is no proper efficient treatment for dry eyes other than to just treat the symptoms.

[dryirisheyes]

Agreed - there is a fortune waiting out there for someone who could develop a solution.

[bobXfr]

Becarfull with F.A.B, maybe it can harm your eyes if you have herpes simplex virus-1 (The herpes simplex virus-1, or HSV-1, is transmitted through body fluids and infects the mouth and eyes)
see:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/release...0711141404.htm

[PhoenixEyes]

Becarfull with F.A.B, maybe it can harm your eyes if you have herpes simplex virus-1 (The herpes simplex virus-1, or HSV-1, is transmitted through body fluids and infects the mouth and eyes)

[EDIT: Bob is right, looks like it is an exclusion critera for the trials. See my post below for other exclusion criteria]

I asked if I needed to be tested for things like HIV, AIDs etc. but I was told by the corneal specialist ophthalmologist that since I'm the only one handling the blood then it's not necessary, the gist I got is if I already have such things in my blood then I'm already exposed. I thought I might need to be tested as I heard for autologous serum (eye drops made from your own blood) they screen you for such things before drawing your blood, but the ophthalmologist said that's more for other people's benefit than my own, so you don't pass on such things to the people in the lab handling your blood who aren't already exposed. I don't know much about herpes simplex but it looks like some articles mention you can use the patient's own blood (autologous serum) to help heal keratitis (erosion dots on the cornea) from herpes, so your own blood may still have beneficial factors for healing.

Neurotrophic keratopathy, often referred to as meta-herpetic keratitis, is a late stage, burned out herpetic keratitis, said Prof Seitz, with no immune reaction, no infection, reduced corneal innervation and diminished tear secretion. It is treated with non-preserved artificial tears, hyaluronic acid gels and autologous serum. Surgical approaches include amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT), botulinum toxin application in the upper lid for temporary iatrogenic ptosis, or temporary tarsorrhaphy.

http://www.eurotimes.org/hsv-keratitis/

Always best to ask your ophthalmological first though to be sure.

[bobXfr]

I'm no medical expert but I think that may be talking about other peoples bodily fluids. I asked if I needed to be tested for things like HIV, AIDs etc. but I was told by the corneal specialist ophthalmologist that since I'm the only one handling the blood then it's not necessary, the gist I got is if I already have such things in my blood then I'm already exposed. I thought I might need to be tested as I heard for autologous serum (eye drops made from your own blood) they screen you for such things before drawing your blood, but the ophthalmologist said that's more for other people's benefit than my own, so you don't pass on such things to the people in the lab handling your blood who aren't already exposed. I don't know much about herpes simplex but it looks like some articles mention you can use the patient's own blood (autologous serum) to help heal keratitis (erosion dots on the cornea) from herpes, so your own blood may still have beneficial factors for healing.



http://www.eurotimes.org/hsv-keratitis/

Always best to ask your ophthalmological first though to be sure.

Maybe you are right,maybe not, but if some one has this very common disease https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herpes_simplex , i think he must ask a specialist because this is a new study, and i m not sure if you have this disease in your blood it'll reach or not your eyes.

[PhoenixEyes]

Yes I agree, best if you can do it under doctor's orders, especially as you can also then see via tests if it has any improvement on your eye health. As I am doing it under advice of a corneal specialist ophthalmologist they did a fluorescein dye stain test after 2 months and it allowed me to see that the blood had helped to reduce my punctate keratitis.

[bobXfr]

Good news.
I hope, it'll help you.
maybe PRP injection is better , they can help MG regrow

[PhoenixEyes]

Good news. I hope, it'll help you.
maybe PRP injection is better , they can help MG regrow

Thank you. It has helped take the edge off but not enough sadly, trying scleral lenses next.

Yeah I did see that interesting study about PRP for meibomian glands. Seems like it is very early days for it so not sure what places offer it, but I hope it becomes more widespread in the future.

[PhoenixEyes]

Just wanted to mention that I looked again at the document put out by the researchers for fingerprick blood and they mention herpes simplex as an exclusion critera for inclusion in the trials, thanks Bob for mentioning this. Though they also mention recurrent corneal erosion as an exclusion, so they may just be being extra careful at this point until more research is done as I think blood can help heal erosion wounds.

- Fear of needles and unwillingness to carry out repeat finger pricks
- Infected finger or systemic infection or on systemic antibiotics for infection.
- Bleeding disorders and on warfarin anticoagulant therapy
- Epithelial defect was classified as a progressive corneal melt caused by an immunological process such as rheumatoid melt or Mooren's ulceration.
- Patients with active microbial infection, acute herpes simplex or herpes zoster keratitis, drug toxicity, vitamin A deficiency, or recurrent corneal erosion.
- Past Ophthalmic history of corneal transplantation.
- Pregnant or breast feeding women
- Children (under 16 years old).

Source: https://www.researchgate.net/publica...helial_defects

[bobXfr]

Thank you. It has helped take the edge off but not enough sadly, trying scleral lenses next.

Yeah I did see that interesting study about PRP for meibomian glands. Seems like it is very early days for it so not sure what places offer it, but I hope it becomes more widespread in the future.

PhoenixEyes PRP injection not PRP drop see : http://www.dryeyezone.com/talk/forum...rred-ones-also

[Meibum Ian]

I started with fingerprick blood drops about 10 days ago, and believe it is helping considerably. I am using an Accucheck Fastclix lancet about 4 times per day.

Eyes are feeling calmer, more moist, and oil in the glands is a bit more easy to express.

I did also start Ikervis (cyclosporine) 7 weeks ago, and had lower plugs fitted 4 weeks ago so these could also be helping. However things seemed to improve pretty quickly after starting the blood drops. In addition to the overall improvement, I feel some short term soothing effect after putting the blood in.

It took a good week or so for me to get good at applying the blood correctly.

I'm happy to answer any questions!

[quattroboy]

I'm happy to answer any questions!

Your the second perform today who has posted their success with this. The other was a fellow LASIK victim on Facebook. As a result of their success, the NHS have agreed to supply serum drop, which had previously been denied.

Now I coming to the end of my steriods, I'm seriously thinking about this.

When method did you discover for best applying the blood correctly?

[Meibum Ian]

Your the second perform today who has posted their success with this. The other was a fellow LASIK victim on Facebook. As a result of their success, the NHS have agreed to supply serum drop, which had previously been denied.

Now I coming to the end of my steriods, I'm seriously thinking about this.

When method did you discover for best applying the blood correctly?

Although it's fairly straightforward, definitely take care to understand what you're doing before starting. Very important to do hygienically. Different fingers for each eye, thoroughly disinfect fingers and lancing device etc.

The powerpoint presentation at https://www.researchgate.net/publica...efects?fref=gc includes the information sheet given to those doing the trial.

I pull the the skin below the eye and drop the blood onto the top of the lower eyelid margin. The blood should fall down into the eye. Easy to tell when done right as the blood visibly coats the surface of the eye and blurs vision. Will take a while to get good at it.

[quattroboy]

Although it's fairly straightforward, definitely take care to understand what you're doing before starting. Very important to do hygienically. Different fingers for each eye, thoroughly disinfect fingers and lancing device etc.

The powerpoint presentation at https://www.researchgate.net/publica...efects?fref=gc includes the information sheet given to those doing the trial.

I pull the the skin below the eye and drop the blood onto the top of the lower eyelid margin. The blood should fall down into the eye. Easy to tell when done right as the blood visibly coats the surface of the eye and blurs vision. Will take a while to get good at it.

So tempted to try this. I've really got no excuse my wife regularly helps under 7s, at her school, who are type 1, so she knows what's she is doing.

Are you still using the same amount of artificial tears?