(438) Autologous Serum ocular inserts for treatment of Dry Eye Disease
Introduction: Dry eye is a multifactorial disease characterized by a loss of homeostasis of the tear film accompanied by ocular surface inflammation. Current treatment approaches include conservative options like artificial tears, lid hygiene and reduction of environmental triggers which suffers from suboptimal efficacy. One appealing alternative is the use of serum, which contains multiple growth factors and share many similarities with native tears. We hypothesize that a single, autologous serum ocular insert (ASOI) can achieve prolonged protein delivery while simultaneously achieving improved stability.
Learning Objectives:
Understand the screening process used to identify serum inserts as a promising drug delivery device
Explain the strengths and weaknesses of serum for targeted treatment of dry eye disease
Evaluate the properties of released proteins from ocular inserts
