Artificial tears to treat dry eye syndrome

Abstract

Dry eye syndrome (DES) is caused by insufficient tear discharge, abnormal tear composition, or excessive evaporation of the tear film. It is a source of anxiety and discomfort. Treatment of DES is long-lasting and often unsatisfactory. Various treatment regimens are recommended based on the application of tear-imitating liquids produced by the pharmaceutical industry. The use of products approved for clinical use can however be limited by allergic reactions of some patients. In such cases it is recommended to use artificial autologous serum tears. In some patients, blood collection is impeded and autologous tears cannot be processed. Other ways of obtaining artificial tears from material of human origin are therefore sought. Allogeneic preparations from blood donors are becoming more common. There is ongoing research into obtaining artificial tears with different techniques and from source material other than serum, namely platelet lysate and umbilical cord blood. In Poland, there are no legal regulations regarding the preparation of artificial tears. The Institute of Hematology and Transfusion Medicine in Warsaw has been preparing autologous artificial tears from serum for over 40 years. Since 2019, research has explored the possibility of using allogeneic preparations. Finding optimal treatment options for patients unable to use medicinal products, or for whom such products are ineffective, is a huge challenge worldwide. Efforts should be directed at developing the most uniform preparation methods and quality standards for each type of preparation. The growing number of publications on the subject shows the necessity of satisfying this need.