Personalized Relief: Autologous Serum & PRP Eye Drops for Severe Dry Eye

You can order and use autologous eye drops from Enrich without a medical professional. However, Enrich recommends you first consult with your ophthalmologist or optometrist to ensure that our serum or PRP eye drops are the most suitable treatment for your condition.

To place an order, you can contact us at (888) 687-3332, or have your prescription faxed to (888) 300-6595.

Unfortunately, there is no simple "yes" or "no" answer to this question, as insurance coverage for autologous eye drops can vary significantly. In most cases, it is not covered by insurance.

However, some insurance companies may reimburse for the cost if you submit a claim yourself, and some policies (especially for conditions like Sjögren's syndrome) may offer coverage.

How to Find Out About Your Coverage

To get a definitive answer for your specific situation, you should follow these steps:

1. Contact Your Insurance Provider: Call the member services number on the back of your insurance card. Tell them you are asking about coverage for autologous serum eye drops or PRP eye drops for your specific diagnosis (e.g., severe dry eye).

2. Ask for Prior Authorization: In cases where it is covered, it almost always requires prior authorization. Ask your insurance provider if this is a possibility and what the process is.

3. Work with Your Doctor's Office: Your eye care professional's office is your best resource. They often have experience with the claims process for these types of treatments and can help you navigate the necessary paperwork. They can also provide a letter of medical necessity to submit to your insurer.

At Enrich, both our serum and PRP eye drops are made through a meticulous, multi-step process that begins with a simple blood draw. Our strict protocol ensures a safe and high-quality final product. While specific lab procedures may vary, the general steps are as follows:

1. Blood Collection

A small blood sample is collected from the patient by a trained medical professional.

2. Separation of Components

The blood is then processed to separate its key components. This is typically done using a centrifuge, which spins the blood at high speeds.

• For Serum Drops: The blood is allowed to clot before being centrifuged. The centrifugation separates the red blood cells and clotting factors, leaving behind the clear, nutrient-rich blood serum.
  

• For PRP Drops: An anticoagulant is added to the blood before centrifugation to prevent clotting. The process is then optimized to isolate a specific layer that contains a high concentration of platelets and growth factors.
  

3. Formulation

The isolated serum or PRP is then diluted with a sterile, preservative-free solution (such as saline) to achieve the specific concentration prescribed by your doctor, and then filtered. This step is crucial for making the final product sterile, safe, and effective for the eye.

4. Packaging and Freezing

The final solution is dispensed into sterile, individual-use dropper bottles. These are then frozen to maintain the stability and potency of the natural healing compounds until you are ready to use them.

Autologous serum and PRP eye drops are generally considered safe and well-tolerated. Because they are made from a patient's own blood, the risk of allergic reactions or rejection is minimal.

However, there are a few potential side effects and considerations to be aware of:

• Risk of Contamination: The drops are preservative-free, which is a major benefit, but it also means there is a risk of bacterial contamination if proper sterile handling and storage instructions (such as keeping them frozen until use and refrigerated when in use) are not followed.
  

• Minor Irritation: Some patients may experience a mild, temporary burning or stinging sensation upon application, which usually subsides quickly.

Serum and PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma) autologous eye drops are advanced, customized eye drops made from a small sample of a patient's own blood. The process isolates key components like growth factors, proteins, and vitamins, which are then used to create a natural, preservative-free solution.

• Serum Eye Drops contain the nutrient-rich part of the blood (serum), which closely mimics the composition of natural tears.
  

• PRP Eye Drops are a more concentrated form that uses the patient's own platelets to deliver a highly potent dose of healing growth factors directly to the eye.
  

Both types work to promote healing, reduce inflammation, and restore moisture to the eye's surface, offering a long-term solution for conditions like severe dry eye, rather than just temporary relief.

Here are some of the key conditions they are used to treat:

• Severe Dry Eye Syndrome: Especially in cases caused by autoimmune diseases like Sjögren's syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, or other conditions where the eye's natural tear production is severely compromised.
  

• Persistent Epithelial Defects: Non-healing wounds on the surface of the cornea (the front of the eye) that are resistant to other treatments.
  

• Neurotrophic Keratopathy: A degenerative condition resulting from a loss of corneal sensation, which can lead to frequent injury and poor healing.

• Post-Surgical Healing: To accelerate the recovery of the ocular surface after procedures like corneal transplants, cataract surgery, or LASIK.
  

• Graft Versus Host Disease (GVHD): An inflammatory condition that can affect the eyes following a stem cell or bone marrow transplant.

• Blepharitis: Inflammation of the eyelids that can contribute to dry eye symptoms.

• Corneal Ulcers and Erosions: To aid in the healing and repair of damaged corneal tissue.

You may begin to feel relief from your symptoms within the first two to four weeks of consistent use. However, because these drops are designed to promote true healing and regeneration, the most significant improvements often become noticeable after one to three months of treatment. The timeline for results can vary based on the specific condition being treated and its severity. For chronic conditions like severe dry eye disease, a longer treatment period is often required to achieve and maintain optimal results.