REVOLTING REMEDIES

Medical treatments that might make your stomach turn. This week: Blood to prevent dry eyes

ABOUT one in seven people over 40 suffers from dry eyes, which can cause pain, discomfort and — in extreme cases — even loss of vision.

Standard treatment is with drops to lubricate the eye, but these can’t completely mimic the protein-rich composition of natural tears.

In fact, a much closer match is blood serum — a yellowish liquid that makes up more than half of our blood.

And in a 2017 trial at Moorfields Private Eye Hospital in Bedford, applying a drop of blood (taken from the patient’s finger) to the eyes was found to improve clarity of sight and reduce inflammation in patients with dry eyes.

Consultant ophthalmologist Anant Sharma, who led the research, says: ‘Serum is expensive but your own blood can be provided cheaply, and immediately.’

This is still an experimental treatment, so do not try this yourself — but if you’re interested, speak to your eye specialist.