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Cincinnati Eye Institute makes dry eye serum tears from patients' own blood

4,927 views · Published 5 December 2018 · 2:02 · Indexed 18 October 2026

Channel: LOCAL 12 · 2018 · News & Politics

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BLUE ASH, Ohio (WKRC) - A simple eye drop made from what's in your own body may give relief from itchy, dry, irritated eyes.

It's now in use by local doctors. It's a simple drop Ron Ferguson says is a long-awaited solution to his dry eyes.

"I would wake up in the morning and my eyes would feel like sandpaper," Ferguson said.

Knowing his own blood provided those drops is soothing, he says, to both body and soul.

Dry eye is a condition that results in either inadequate quantity or quality of tears. Dr. Kavitha Sivaraman says they were made into what's called serum tears.

"[It] involves a blood draw, so the patient comes in, we draw their blood, we spin it down, remove the red blood cell component and left with the clear serum component that's been diluted with sterile saline solution and put in an eye drop bottle," said Dr. Sivaraman.

The saline or salt water solution can be made right on site at the Cincinnati Eye Institute. They appear to work more effectively than some over-the-counter tears because serum tears are very similar to natural tears.

"They contain growth factors and antibodies that mimic natural tears much better than any artificial tear," said Dr. Sivaraman.

"My dose is a couple times a day, morning and night, and that has completely rid my problem of dry eye," said Ferguson. "I have no pain at all in the mornings when I wake up."

Repeat treatment drops can be mailed on ice after they are made. Each dose costs Ferguson about $120, providing relief he says is priceless.

This therapy is not covered by most medical insurance plans.

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