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Patient FAQs and Resources

Your questions answered.

Get answers to commonly asked questions about the Vital Tears program, cost and insurance coverage, and using and storing your tears.

Plus, learn more about ocular surface conditions and treatments. Get the information you need to make informed decisions about your eye health.

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

When your doctor decides that Vital Tears are right for you, we make it easy to get started.

  1. Contact our Patient Services team (800-360-9592) to schedule your blood draw at one of our contracted blood collection facilities. You can also choose to have your blood drawn at home. Please note that the time required to schedule a mobile blood draw depends on your geographic location and availability.
  2. Once your blood is collected, it will be shipped to our laboratory where trained technicians will process your serum tears.
  3. When your tears are ready to ship, we will call you to schedule delivery. It’s important to note that Vital Tears are shipped cold or frozen, so you’ll need to be available to sign for the delivery. Your tears are typically ready to ship within 48 hours of your blood draw, so expect a call from us the day after your blood draw appointment.

We can help connect you to a doctor in your area that can determine if Vital Tears is right for you. Alternatively, if you already have an eye doctor that you would like to become a Vital Tears provider, we would be happy to reach out and get the clinic registered and trained. Simply provide us with your doctor’s contact information and we will reach out.

Click here to find a provider in your area.

Our priority is getting your serum tears shipped as soon as 48 hours from your blood draw. Our dedicated Patient Services team will work with you to have your tears delivered quickly and conveniently.

While some insurance companies reimburse for Vital Tears when patients submit a claim, generally Vital Tears is a self-pay service. Our Patient Services team can provide forms to help you submit a claim to your insurance provider. You may contact Patient Services at 800.360.9592 for more information.

The cost of Vital Tears is based on the treatment plan that your doctor has ordered. Our Patient Services team can provide the cost of your prescription and discuss our convenient payment plans with you. Please call us at 800-360-9592.

Depending on your physician’s order, between three and 14 vials of blood will be drawn and processed for Vital Tears. This may sound like a lot, but it is less than a few ounces.
The most important thing you can do to ensure a successful blood draw is hydrate. Please try to consume half your body weight in ounces of water in the 24 hours leading up to your blood draw. For best results you should also avoid or limit caffeine, alcohol, and high fat foods for 24 hours before your blood draw appointment. You do not need to fast before the blood draw.
Because Vital Tears are made from biological material and are preservative free, they must be kept refrigerated. Your Vital Tears will be shipped cold or frozen. Store the bottle of tears you are using in the refrigerator and put the remaining vials upright in the freezer. A bottle of Vital Tears is good for one week in the refrigerator. Stop using the bottle and discard it after seven days. The bottles stored in the freezer are good for six months.

Because Vital Tears are made from biological material and are preservative free, they must be kept refrigerated. It is recommended that you carry drops in a thermos with ice or frozen gel packs if you are going to be out for more than an hour or are planning on being in hot temperatures.

If your Vital Tears must be out of the refrigerator for more than one hour, carry them in a cooler with ice or frozen gel packs. You may also use a portable medicine thermos to store your tears when away from home.

Learn More

What are Vital Tears?

Autologous serum eye drops (ASEDs), autologous serum tears (ASTs), or just serum tears are customized drops made from a patient’s own blood.

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Find an ophthalmologist or optometrist trained in the Vital Tears protocol.

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imgi_2_Albert-Cheung-MD-e1772566065336-1024x1024

Albert Cheung, MD

Cornea & External Disease · Virginia Eye Consultants

Dr. Cheung is part of the skilled Cornea team at Virginia Eye Consultants in Norfolk, Virginia. He attended medical school at Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine prior to completing his ophthalmology residency at Beaumont Health System in Michigan. He then went on to complete a fellowship in Cornea and External Disease at University of Cincinnati/Cincinnati Eye Institute. He is an Associate Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology at Eastern Virginia Medical School. There, he has worked closely with the residents and has been awarded the Attending Physician of the Year award multiple times. Dr. Cheung has given national and international lectures as well as directed multiple courses and skills transfer labs at AAO and ASCRS. Additionally, he has authored more than 110 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters. His clinical and research efforts have focused on severe ocular surface disease and lamellar keratoplasty.

imgi_2_Albert-Cheung-MD-e1772566065336-1024x1024

Albert Cheung, MD

Cornea & External Disease · Virginia Eye Consultants

Dr. Cheung is part of the skilled Cornea team at Virginia Eye Consultants in Norfolk, Virginia. He attended medical school at Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine prior to completing his ophthalmology residency at Beaumont Health System in Michigan. He then went on to complete a fellowship in Cornea and External Disease at University of Cincinnati/Cincinnati Eye Institute. He is an Associate Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology at Eastern Virginia Medical School. There, he has worked closely with the residents and has been awarded the Attending Physician of the Year award multiple times. Dr. Cheung has given national and international lectures as well as directed multiple courses and skills transfer labs at AAO and ASCRS. Additionally, he has authored more than 110 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters. His clinical and research efforts have focused on severe ocular surface disease and lamellar keratoplasty.

imgi_2_Albert-Cheung-MD-e1772566065336-1024x1024

Albert Cheung, MD

Cornea & External Disease · Virginia Eye Consultants

Dr. Cheung is part of the skilled Cornea team at Virginia Eye Consultants in Norfolk, Virginia. He attended medical school at Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine prior to completing his ophthalmology residency at Beaumont Health System in Michigan. He then went on to complete a fellowship in Cornea and External Disease at University of Cincinnati/Cincinnati Eye Institute. He is an Associate Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology at Eastern Virginia Medical School. There, he has worked closely with the residents and has been awarded the Attending Physician of the Year award multiple times. Dr. Cheung has given national and international lectures as well as directed multiple courses and skills transfer labs at AAO and ASCRS. Additionally, he has authored more than 110 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters. His clinical and research efforts have focused on severe ocular surface disease and lamellar keratoplasty.

imgi_2_Albert-Cheung-MD-e1772566065336-1024x1024

Albert Cheung, MD

Cornea & External Disease · Virginia Eye Consultants

Dr. Cheung is part of the skilled Cornea team at Virginia Eye Consultants in Norfolk, Virginia. He attended medical school at Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine prior to completing his ophthalmology residency at Beaumont Health System in Michigan. He then went on to complete a fellowship in Cornea and External Disease at University of Cincinnati/Cincinnati Eye Institute. He is an Associate Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology at Eastern Virginia Medical School. There, he has worked closely with the residents and has been awarded the Attending Physician of the Year award multiple times. Dr. Cheung has given national and international lectures as well as directed multiple courses and skills transfer labs at AAO and ASCRS. Additionally, he has authored more than 110 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters. His clinical and research efforts have focused on severe ocular surface disease and lamellar keratoplasty.

imgi_2_Albert-Cheung-MD-e1772566065336-1024x1024

Albert Cheung, MD

Cornea & External Disease · Virginia Eye Consultants

Dr. Cheung is part of the skilled Cornea team at Virginia Eye Consultants in Norfolk, Virginia. He attended medical school at Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine prior to completing his ophthalmology residency at Beaumont Health System in Michigan. He then went on to complete a fellowship in Cornea and External Disease at University of Cincinnati/Cincinnati Eye Institute. He is an Associate Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology at Eastern Virginia Medical School. There, he has worked closely with the residents and has been awarded the Attending Physician of the Year award multiple times. Dr. Cheung has given national and international lectures as well as directed multiple courses and skills transfer labs at AAO and ASCRS. Additionally, he has authored more than 110 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters. His clinical and research efforts have focused on severe ocular surface disease and lamellar keratoplasty.

imgi_2_Albert-Cheung-MD-e1772566065336-1024x1024

Albert Cheung, MD

Cornea & External Disease · Virginia Eye Consultants

Dr. Cheung is part of the skilled Cornea team at Virginia Eye Consultants in Norfolk, Virginia. He attended medical school at Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine prior to completing his ophthalmology residency at Beaumont Health System in Michigan. He then went on to complete a fellowship in Cornea and External Disease at University of Cincinnati/Cincinnati Eye Institute. He is an Associate Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology at Eastern Virginia Medical School. There, he has worked closely with the residents and has been awarded the Attending Physician of the Year award multiple times. Dr. Cheung has given national and international lectures as well as directed multiple courses and skills transfer labs at AAO and ASCRS. Additionally, he has authored more than 110 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters. His clinical and research efforts have focused on severe ocular surface disease and lamellar keratoplasty.

imgi_2_Albert-Cheung-MD-e1772566065336-1024x1024

Albert Cheung, MD

Cornea & External Disease · Virginia Eye Consultants

Dr. Cheung is part of the skilled Cornea team at Virginia Eye Consultants in Norfolk, Virginia. He attended medical school at Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine prior to completing his ophthalmology residency at Beaumont Health System in Michigan. He then went on to complete a fellowship in Cornea and External Disease at University of Cincinnati/Cincinnati Eye Institute. He is an Associate Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology at Eastern Virginia Medical School. There, he has worked closely with the residents and has been awarded the Attending Physician of the Year award multiple times. Dr. Cheung has given national and international lectures as well as directed multiple courses and skills transfer labs at AAO and ASCRS. Additionally, he has authored more than 110 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters. His clinical and research efforts have focused on severe ocular surface disease and lamellar keratoplasty.

imgi_2_Albert-Cheung-MD-e1772566065336-1024x1024

Albert Cheung, MD

Cornea & External Disease · Virginia Eye Consultants

Dr. Cheung is part of the skilled Cornea team at Virginia Eye Consultants in Norfolk, Virginia. He attended medical school at Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine prior to completing his ophthalmology residency at Beaumont Health System in Michigan. He then went on to complete a fellowship in Cornea and External Disease at University of Cincinnati/Cincinnati Eye Institute. He is an Associate Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology at Eastern Virginia Medical School. There, he has worked closely with the residents and has been awarded the Attending Physician of the Year award multiple times. Dr. Cheung has given national and international lectures as well as directed multiple courses and skills transfer labs at AAO and ASCRS. Additionally, he has authored more than 110 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters. His clinical and research efforts have focused on severe ocular surface disease and lamellar keratoplasty.

imgi_2_Albert-Cheung-MD-e1772566065336-1024x1024

Albert Cheung, MD

Cornea & External Disease · Virginia Eye Consultants

Dr. Cheung is part of the skilled Cornea team at Virginia Eye Consultants in Norfolk, Virginia. He attended medical school at Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine prior to completing his ophthalmology residency at Beaumont Health System in Michigan. He then went on to complete a fellowship in Cornea and External Disease at University of Cincinnati/Cincinnati Eye Institute. He is an Associate Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology at Eastern Virginia Medical School. There, he has worked closely with the residents and has been awarded the Attending Physician of the Year award multiple times. Dr. Cheung has given national and international lectures as well as directed multiple courses and skills transfer labs at AAO and ASCRS. Additionally, he has authored more than 110 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters. His clinical and research efforts have focused on severe ocular surface disease and lamellar keratoplasty.