Treating Dry Eyes and Corneal Ulcers With Fingerprick Autologous Blood (FAB)
Dry Eyes, Sjogren's Disease With Dry Eyes, Persistent Corneal Epithelial Defects
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for Dry Eyes focused on measuring Finger prick with diabetic lancet, Fingerprick, Fresh, Your own blood, autologous blood, Dry eyes, Sjogren's disease with dry eyes, Persistent corneal epithelial defects, Chronic corneal ulcers
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
For Dry Eyes
Patients with symptoms of dry eyes on at least QDS lubricants and who in addition:
Satisfy at least one of the following criteria:
Break up time (BUT) <5 seconds and Schirmer's test without anaesthesia <5 mm at 5 minutes OR presence of rose bengal /lissamine green or fluorescein staining of the ocular surface OR more than 80% score on OCI due to dry eyes (total score greater than or equal to 29/36)
All patients must have unsuccessfully tried cyclosporine ointment or eye drops and temporary or permanent plugs or been offered punctual plugs and refused.
For Corneal Ulceration
- Patients with epithelial defects of at least 2 weeks duration where conventional therapy failed. (Conventional therapy includes [if indicated] lubricants, antibiotic ointment, steroids and therapeutic contact lens wear)
- Any patient with an epithelial defect of at least 4 weeks' duration that has not completely healed with conventional therapy or who are refusing further conventional therapy. These patients would receive FAB therapy instead of tarsorrhaphy or botulinum toxin induced ptosis.
Exclusion Criteria:
- 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).
Sites / Locations
- Moorfields Eye Centre at Bedford Hospital NHS Trust
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Experimental
Fingerprick of autologous blood (FAB)
Fingerprick of autologous blood (FAB) four times a day for 2 months