For Physicians
A Simple Solution for Serum Tears
Submit Your Order
Use our simple and secure online form to order your patient’s Serum Tears.
Scheduling
We’ll contact your patient to schedule their blood draw in our office.
Same Day Delivery
Patient’s will receive their Serum Tears on the day of the blood draw.
Why Choose Simply Tears?
Our goal is to make Serum Tears accessible to patients as quickly as possible while making ordering for the doctor easy. After submitting the online order form, we will reach out to the patient within 24 hours to schedule their blood draw. Most patients have their blood drawn and receive their Serum Tears within a few days of ordering!
Our Process
We utilize innovative techniques during blood collection and serum dilution to ensure the highest quality serum tears are produced. This includes utilizing polyethersulfone filtration which filters the serum through .22 micron pores, resulting in higher quality suspensions. Our techniques also allow the serum to remain in sterile, closed containment at all times during production without exposure to the environment. This ensures a completely sterile finished product.
Physician FAQ’s
What Are Serum Tears?
Serum Tears, also called Autologous Serum Eye Drops (ASED’s), are eye drops that are made using the serum component of your blood diluted with sterile saline. While it may seem strange to use your blood to make eye drops, our own natural tears are made, in part, by distilled blood. Our blood and tears actually share a very similar chemical makeup. More importantly, the serum component of our blood contains healing components like vitamins, structural proteins, enzymes and growth factors that can be used to heal the cornea and ocular surface.
How Are Serum Tears Made?
A sample of blood is taken from the patient and centrifuged to remove the blood cells and isolate the clear serum. The serum is then microfiltered and diluted to a specific percentage using sterile saline. The ASED’s are placed into small dropper bottles for use.
What Conditions Do Serum Tears Treat?
ASED’s are most commonly used in Dry Eye Syndrome, non-healing corneal defects and injuries, limbal stem cell deficiency, and systemic conditions like Sjogren’s syndrome, among others.
What Percentage of Serum Tears is Best?
Autologus Serum Eye Drops can be diluted with saline to specific percentages. For example, 20% ASEDs are composed of 20% pure filtered serum and 80% sterile saline. For most dry eye disease and mild corneal defects, 20% is commonly used. For chronic, non-healing corneal epithelial defects or severe dry eye such as Sjogrens, higher percentages may be appropriate.
What Dosing is Recommended For Serum Tears?
Because they are preservative free, Simply Tears can be dosed as often as every 30-60 minutes, if required. Most commonly, patients use them between 3-8 times per day depending on physician instructions and the type and severity of condition being treated.
How Do I Order Simply Tears?
Simply submit your patient’s information using our secure, HIPAA compliant online order form. We will take it from there! Your patient will be contacted for blood draw within 24 hours and receive their serum tears the same day!
How Much Do Serum Tears Cost?
A four month supply of ASED’s costs $500, which may be paid in full or, for your convenience, in four monthly installments of $125. This includes a quantity that lasts the average patient 4 months. They are not currently covered by any medical or vision insurance.
How Are Serum Tears Stored?
ASED’s contain no preservatives and must be stored frozen. One bottle at a time is kept in the refrigerator and must remain refrigerated between uses. Frozen bottles expire after four months in the freezer and must be discarded. Bottles last 7 days in the refrigerator before they must be discarded and replaced with a bottle from the freezer.
How Long Do Patients Use Serum Tears?
Depending on the condition, patients may use serum tears as a short-term solution to heal a corneal defect or as a long-term solution for chronic dry eye or persistent corneal defects. Many patients happily use Simply Tears as part of their daily routine.
Where Does the Blood Draw Take Place?
Blood draws occur at:
West End Eye Care
2559 New Holt Rd. Paducah, KY 42001
Depending on location and circumstances, we may arrange to meet at the patient’s home for the blood draw.
How Do Patients Prepare for Their Blood Draw?
Fasting is not required for blood draws and most patients will have between 4-8 tubes of blood drawn, depending on the required concentration. Most patients feel fine after this small draw. For best results, it’s important to stay hydrated and limit alcohol and fatty foods in the 24 hours before the blood draw to reduce the chance of Lipemia, which would require a new blood draw at a later date.