Friday, January 11, 2013

Abstract: Autologous serum

Wow, serum drops are getting around. Serbia? And come to think of it, if they can describe it as simple and inexpensive, Joe CorneaMD in Anytown USA certainly shouldn't be objecting for practical reasons.


[Article in Serbian]


INTRODUCTION. The treatment of dry eye by autologous serum is a simple and inexpensive treatment option. It is particularly effective in severe forms of dry eye as well as for chemical eye injuries, and it is justified by the presence of essential tear components which are not found in preparations of artificial tears. The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of autologous serum therapy in the patients with dry eye. MATERIAL AND METHODS. We monitored the effect of one-month treatment of dry eye by autologous serum (used with artificial tear preparations) in 50 rheumatology patients (23 men and 27 women) aged 26-65 years at the Department of Ophthalmology, Clinical Center Nis. We analyzed ocular discomfort and the values of objective parameters for the evaluation of tear film at baseline and one month later (Schirmer I, Tears Break Up Time and Rose Bengal). RESULTS. A statistically significant reduction of subjective complaints was found in the patients after the treatment by autologous serum (p < 0.05), along with a minimal improvement of objective tests for checking the tear film quality. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION. The use ofautologous serum in dry eye therapy should provide benefit to the patients, relieve symptoms and improve objective parameters for the evaluation of dry eye. Both doctors and patients should be adequately informed, and proper screening of potential users of this method should be done. Not only additional tests of therapeutic effect of autologous serum (as well as of umbilical cord serum or autologous plasma) are needed but also parallel clinical and histopathological examination and analysis of the effects of this type of treatment of dry eye.

Med Pregl. 2012 Nov-Dec;65(11-12):511-5.
Babić GS, Cekić S.
Source
Klinicki centar Nis, Klinika za ocne bolesti, Univerzitet u Nisu, Medicinski fakultet. gordanasb@open.telekom.rs




Abstract: Accidental staining of corneal nerves...

Wow. What a way to visualize those nerves. Poor kid.

Moral of story: If your 10-year-old wants to dye their hair, don't stand around arguing about the color. Help them do it safely.


[Article in German]

A 10-year-old child presented after accidental exposure of the left eye to a blue hair dye containing methylene blue. Mild ocular surface changes and a selective blue staining of the usually invisible corneal nerve fibre bundles were present. Corneal sensitivity was reduced. Despite copious lubrication a transient neurotrophic keratitis developed which did not resolve until corneal sensitivity became normal 2 weeks later. Association of mild chemical burns with neurotrophic keratitis is unusual but is of high clinical relevance as keratitis is a vision-threatening complication.

Ophthalmologe. 2013 Jan 5. [Epub ahead of print]
Peter S, Reichart E, Poyntner L, Mennel S.
Abteilung für Augenheilkunde, Landeskrankenhaus Feldkirch, Carinagasse 47, 6800, Feldkirch, Österreich, Silvia.Peter@LKHF.at.




cheap shipping deal

Penny pincher alert (that's a lot of us these days):

50% off First Class, Parcel Post shipping methods in The Dry Eye Shop with this coupon... no minimum order thresholds. I'm celebrating Nexternal's latest upgrade which lets me discount more than one shipping method at a time :)

No particular deadline. It'll be valid till I think of something new. Well, let's say till I get my blog fully updated with all the news from the last few weeks, and we all know how long THAT can take, LOL.

By the way, for shop regulars, please note that some of the most popular product lines (Eye Eco, 7Eye and WileyX) are now shipping direct from the manufacturer. In some cases where you're ordering a mix of items at one time, that may mean multiple shipping charges - so one of the reasons for the coupon is to offset the effect of that.

Happy Friday everyone.http://www.dryeyeshop.com/?Coupon=CheapShipping

Freshkote is OTC!


Many thanks to the reader who tipped me off on this! I was so excited to hear that Freshkote is now available OTC, online. For the first time in a coupla years now, one of Dr. Holly's wonderful drops is available again 'over-the-counter. It's not cheap, but it's good :-) (I do not have any financial interest, direct, or indirect, in this product, for the enquiring minds that want to know.)

I see Amazon has it for $34.84 or $65.92 for a twopack.