Review
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Exp Med. Dec 20, 2024; 14(4): 96412
Published online Dec 20, 2024. doi: 10.5493/wjem.v14.i4.96412
Autologous blood in the management of ocular surface disorders
Ayuba Suleman, Gladness Aluyi-Osa, Folorunsho Ashipa, Leopoldo Spadea, Caterina Gagliano, Fabiana D’Esposito, Marco Zeppieri, Mutali Musa
Ayuba Suleman, Gladness Aluyi-Osa, Department of Ophthalmology, Africa Eye Laser Centre, Km 7, Benin 300105, Nigeria
Folorunsho Ashipa, Specsavers, Optical Ltd, Bristol BS1 3HB, United Kingdom
Leopoldo Spadea, Eye Clinic, Policlinico Umberto I, “Sapienza” University of Rome, Rome 00142, Italy
Caterina Gagliano, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Enna “Kore”, Enna 94100, Italy
Caterina Gagliano, Mediterranean Foundation “G.B. Morgagni”, Catania 95125, Italy
Fabiana D’Esposito, Imperial College Ophthalmic Research Group Unit, Imperial College, London NW1 5QH, United Kingdom
Marco Zeppieri, Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital of Udine, Udine 33100, Italy
Mutali Musa, Department of Optometry, University of Benin, Benin 3000283, Nigeria
Author contributions: Suleman A, Aluyi-Osa G, Ashipa F, Zeppieri M, and Musa M wrote the outline; Suleman A, Aluyi-Osa G, Ashipa F, and Musa M did the research and writing of the manuscript; Spadea L, Gagliano C, D’Esposito F, and Zeppieri M assisted in the writing of the draft and final paper; Zeppieri M was responsible for the conception and design of the study and completed the English and scientific editing (a native English speaking MD, PhD); Suleman A, Aluyi-Osa G, Ashipa F, Spadea L, Gagliano C, D’Esposito F, Zeppieri M, and Musa M assisted in the editing, making critical revisions of the manuscript and viewing all versions of the manuscript; and all authors provided the final approval of the article.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Marco Zeppieri, MD, PhD, Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital of Udine, p. le S. Maria della Misericordia 15, Udine 33100, Italy. markzeppieri@hotmail.com
Received: May 6, 2024
Revised: September 23, 2024
Accepted: October 22, 2024
Published online: December 20, 2024
Processing time: 177 Days and 19.5 Hours
Abstract

Autologous blood therapy has emerged as a promising modality in managing ocular surface disorders. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the current literature regarding the use of autologous blood in ocular surface disorders, encompassing its physiological basis, clinical applications, techniques, challenges, and future perspectives. The ocular surface, comprising the cornea, conjunctiva, and tear film, plays a critical role in maintaining visual function, and its disruption can lead to various pathological conditions. With its rich composition of growth factors, cytokines, and other bioactive molecules, autologous blood offers therapeutic potential in promoting corneal wound healing, reducing inflammation, and improving tear film stability. Clinical studies have demonstrated the efficacy and safety of autologous blood therapy in diverse ocular surface disorders, including persistent epithelial defects, neurotrophic keratopathy, and dry eye disease. However, challenges such as variability in treatment response, adverse effects, and optimal patient selection remain areas of concern. Further research is needed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of action, refine treatment protocols, and explore synergistic approaches with other therapeutic modalities. Despite these challenges, autologous blood therapy holds promise as a valuable adjunctive treatment option for ocular surface disorders, offering new avenues for improving patient outcomes and quality of life. This review examines the mechanisms underlying ocular surface disorders while discussing existing autologous blood-based therapies for managing these disorders. Current clinical trials are also summarized, and a comparison between autologous blood therapy and conventional eyedrops is attempted. Finally, safe techniques and protocols for autologous blood medicine are elucidated, and adverse effects and future perspectives of this novel therapy are reviewed.

Keywords: Autologous blood; Ocular surface disorder; Cytokines; Tear film; Dry eye

Core Tip: There are several reviews in the literature about autologous tissue therapy and its usefulness in eye care including stem cells and tissue transplants. Blood derivatives are playing a progressively significant role in management of ocular surface disorders. This paper reviews studies on autologous blood use in ocular surface disorders, its preparation and administration, patient selection and potential side effects. Recent clinical trials are also reviewed and future considerations are discussed.