An amniotic membrane-derived treatment for ocular surface disease

A new study published in Eye has compared traditional treatments for ocular surface disease with an alternative amniotic membrane-derived treatment.

Clinicians from Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust worked alongside health economist, John William Posnett, on the research.

The authors noted that standard treatment approaches to ocular surface disease with persistent epithelial defects may involve using lubricants, antibiotics, corticosteroids, and adjunctive interventions such as tarsorrhaphy and bandage contact lenses.

The authors aimed to describe the outcomes and costs of standard treatments for persistent epithelial defects associated with ocular surface disease.

They then compared these outcomes and costs with those associated with sutureless human amniotic membrane-derived dry matrix (HAMDM).

Conventional management achieved complete healing in 57% of patients, compared to 63% of patients who were treated with HAMDM.

Treatment cost and average treatment duration was also lower among patients who received HAMDM compared to conventional management.

The researchers concluded that standard treatments for persistent epithelial defects are prolonged and resource-intensive.

“HAMDM represents a clinically effective and cost-saving alternative,” they highlighted.

HAMDM is produced by NuVision Biotherapies UK under the brand name Omnigen. It is a thin biological layer derived from donated amniotic membrane, applied to the surface of the eye using a specialist contact lens.

Study co-author and consultant ophthalmologist, Mohamed Elalfy, highlighted that persistent corneal wounds can be “incredibly painful and disruptive” for patients.

“Many need repeated appointments because the eye has to be monitored closely and treatment escalated if healing stalls,” he said.

“Our findings show how resource-intensive this can be for both patients and the NHS. The evidence also suggests that a sutureless amniotic membrane dressing is an important tool in the armamentarium for treatment of these cases,” Elalfy said.