Platelet-Rich-Plasma (PRP) eye drops - how to make them?

[Guest]

I'm doing research on how to create platelet-rich plasma eye drops in the hopes of having the lab and pharmacy where I live make them for me (prescribed by my doctor, of course).

Additionally, my hope is that this thread can eventually serve as a collection of resources to share with one's doc that may help people access this treatment where they live, rather than have to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars traveling to access it elsewhere.

[deep_dry_eye]

Which city? I'm working with a Doctor in the Toronto area to bring PRP drops to Toronto area. However, we are having troubles getting a pharmacy to collaborate with us.

[Guest]

Which city? I'm working with a Doctor in the Toronto area to bring PRP drops to Toronto area. The machine costs around 10k , and we're planning to split the cost and bring it available to all Canadians. However, we are having troubles getting a pharmacy to collaborate with us.

Which doc are you working with? Would love the name if possible so I can follow up at a later date if needed. :-)

[Guest]

I don't know how much of this applies to PRP used for eyes... but thought it was interesting: https://www.regenexx.com/blog/result...e-prp-machine/

[Guest]

You don’t need a crazy machine. I guess you would need the machine to automate the process for a lot of patients AND to “enrich” the plasma. You could get pretty damn close with a centrifuge. You would have to figure out the speed...I’m assuming you wouldn’t want it too fast, that way you can form 3 layers in the vacutainer. Bottom would be platelettes, middle layer would be platelette rich plasma and the top would be platekette poor plasma (aka serum). You just get your suringe and collect the middle layers from every tube. Then inject that into 2 more tubes and spin (coukd use one tube and a spacer/ weight to balance the centrifuge). You could enrich plasma that way...spin it again, pull all the garbage to the bottom and aspirate the top layer. You just need aliquote that to bottles after mixing with the sodium citrate or just carefully put it in the fridge and do it frequently to avoid coagulation and contamination. I don’t mind needles, I’d do it more frequently personally. Also because most studies show that serum and plasma is at peak potency 24 hours after being thawed. Then the potency drops fast. Even frozen the potency is dropping. This may be indiatinguishable, but why not max it out. This can be done at home for under 400 dollars.

when I was making serum, I woukd notice that if I didn’t spin fast enough or long enough, I would end up with plasma in my serum. Then I would see clumps floating in the serum. I found a super hard and fast centrifugatiom eliminates that 4000rmp for 12mins.

[Guest]

Oh wow, that's really something! I didn't know you could buy those.

[Guest]

Holy crap - that's cool! What kind of centrifuge did you buy? Where did you buy the supplies you needed to make it? I hate needles, but love the idea of being self-sufficient on this, so would be very interested in gathering info on how to do it. My ideal scenario is to have a lab and pharmacy do it for me... but I like backup plans, so any info you have to share would be amazing.

I bought one off amazon and a tachometer just to make sure it’s spinning properly. I can get the brand for you if you want. I know we are in different counties. Not sure how lax things are in Canada. But in the US, I can just order the vacutaibers off amazon, the butterfly needles and other blood draw supplies from any old website. No prescription needed. I buy the sterile droppers from amazon too. So everything was very easy to acquire. I draw my own blood, I just have my mom or wife fill the vacutainers for me, because I can’t do that one handed. It feels great to make serum on your own. If you can get past the needle thing you’re good. I am so motivated to feel better, and in relation to my eyes, the needle stick is NOTHING, lol. So I can get over it pretty fast.

[Guest]

Thank-you so much for that info - it's much appreciated!

[Guest]

Dowork123 I suspect it would be no problem getting it into Canada.. And if the seller doesn't ship to Canada, I can order it from Amazon.com for delivery to a parcel pickup service just across the border (on the U.S. side), then I can drive it back across the border into Canada myself.

So yes, brand etc. and/or a link to the products you're using would be awesome. :-)

It’s 3am. I felt my left eye sticking, thankfully I tossed some saline in there. Avoided an erosion. I’ll take pictures and post it this afternoon. Be right back!

[Guest]

Sorry for the delay. The centrifuge was 300 bucks I’ll enclose a picture. If I could do it over again, I woukd get a centrifuge that spins up to at least 4000rpm but honestly, I’d probably go with one that spin to 10k rpm. When I initially bought it, I thought I wouldn’t want to go over 3300 because that’s what the protocol states. Then I found out there are methods with a higher spin speed (UIC spins theirs for 11 mins at 4000rpm). That makes a great serum. You can make great serum at 3300, you just have to skin longer, minimum 18 mins I’ve found but I’ve seen as long as 30 mins. Clot time should be minimum 2 hours at room temp, serum has a better concentration of growth factors with a longer clot time.

the bd vacutainers were bought on amazon as well, 50 bucks for 100 vials. Same with the steri-droppers, purchased in amazon. I already had syringes for my testosterone so no issue there. But those can be found at a medical supply store. The needles are the hardest thing to find IMO. I use a 25g butterfly needle because it’s easier to stick myself with that. Normally a 23g is used. Either is fine, the former being more comfortable. Tourniquet, bandaids, all the other little stuff isn’t an issue.

Again, I can post the medical supply website info but not sure how how that would work. I just searched. I’m going to have to look at my PayPal account and it’s 3am and my wife’s sleeping next to me lol. Once I’m up, I’ll get that website for you. But 90%+ can be had on amazon.

The reason I like doing this is customization, price and availability. I don’t have to drive anywhere or wait on anyone. I can mix saline at any concentration I would like. I can use any carrier I’d like (was using oasis tears for a while really liked that). It’s just better imo. Now UIC does a good job and so I only make serum if I can’t get there now. But it’s nice to have the option. I can’t livecwithout serum, it’s the only drop I won’t reject. And even serum isn’t doing what it used to. Mainly because my eyes are just better.

[Guest]

that's great to know, thank-you! I hope things continue to go well!

[Guest]

Awesome info! Thank-you Dowork123 !

Quick question about the stuff you get at UIC and the stuff you made yourself... can extra bottles of it be frozen?

To minimize the number of times in my lifetime that I'd be sticking a needle into my vein, I'd prefer to draw blood only once every 3 months, freeze all the bottles I'm not currently using at -20, and be good to go for a while. Doable with your system?

Yes, everyone has a different protocol for storage. One doctor told me a year in the freezer, UIC told me a month. UIC uses the most strict protocol to avoid contamination, laminar flow hood, .2um whatman hydrophobic filters, I don’t do all that. It’s not necessary BUT would make for a product that’s less likely to become contaminated. That’s why I stick more often, out of fear of contamination. With the added benefit of the serum akways being unites fresh. I use 3ml eye droppers and fill them half way. Those bottles last 2-3 days. So they’re just not warm long enough to allow for bacterial growth. You could make tons of those bottles and store them for 3 months that’s not an issue.

EDIT: -20 is super cold do you have a cryogenic freezer? If you do, even better!

[Guest]

This is all so helpful, thank-you!

[Guest]

Good info on the storage - thanks!



No, I have a commercial quality stand-up freezer... used it to store food and serum drops :-) It's not this model, but this is the idea: https://www.bestbuy.com/site/frigida...?skuId=8943667

Also, I should have specified... that was -20C ( = -4F).

I should have known the unit was Celsius lol

[Guest]

I should have known the unit was Celsius lol

No worries - you're American so naturally your brain will default to F since that's what you guys use to measure temperature. It's totally understandable.