ARE YOU A PATIENT WITH QUESTIONS ABOUT AMNIOTIC THERAPY FOR CORNEAL CONDITIONS?
We know you have questions! Here are some answers to a few of the most frequently asked questions.
WHAT IS APOLLO™?
Apollo™ is an amniotic membrane product which comes in discs of various sizes. Apollo is comfortable to wear and will be covered with a bandage contact lens after placement on your eye. The apollo amniotic membrane will incorporate and dissolve into your cornea over the course of 3-5 days during which your condition should improve. Your physician will typically want to see you back 4-6 days post-placement to remove your bandage contact lense and examine your eye. Amniotic membrane has been utilized in medicine for over 100 years and shown to have excellent healing properties. Refresh your eyes today with Apollo and ask your physician for more information.
IS THIS PRODUCT EXPERIMENTAL?
Absolutely not! Amniotic tissue is regulated by the FDA as human allograft. Physicians have used amniotic tissue for over a century as a biologic dressing in a broad range of clinical applications. It has been recognized as a versatile wound covering with clinical results cited extensively in the literature.
WHAT ARE THE SIDE EFFECTS AND CONTRAINDICATIONS TO THIS PRODUCTION?
Amniotic tissue is immune-privileged and rarely evokes an immune response in the human body. It is a safe, natural product to treat ocular surface conditions.
WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER THE PROCEDURE
Your physician will instruct you on expectations specific to you as well as after-procedure after-care. You will be scheduled for a follow-up appointment in a few days to check your progress with healing.
The basics that you should keep in mind are:
- Allow 4-6 days for maximum absorption of the tissue. If there is a little tissue material left at the end of 6 days, this is okay, and it can be wiped away.
- You may feel a foreign body sensation in your eye, this will decrease as the graft incorporates.
- Do not rub your eye or attempt to take the contact lens off.
- Do not undergo any strenuous activity that may cause your eye or eyelid to be rubbed.
- Your vision may appear a bit cloudy for the first 1-2 days.
- You can shower with the contact in but take extra care not to get water in your eye or wash the contact or tissue out.
- You can continue to use any drops right on top of your amniotic membrane with the contact lens on.
- Do not drive or operate heavy machinery or perform functions that require unobstructed vision or good depth perception.
- If the graft happens to fall out, please discard right away and contact your physician.
- Contact your physician right away if you are uncomfortable or have any other problems with the graft.
HOW DO I OBTAIN APOLLO AMNIOTIC MEMBRANE?
Apollo is a therapeutic available to physicians only. Ask your physician to contact us for ordering information.