Dry eye relief,
made just for you
Why NovoTears®?
Across the country, more than 16 million people have been diagnosed with dry eye.1 Of those, about 4 million have severe chronic dry eye, and artificial tears and other solutions may not bring real relief.
Unlike pharmaceutical eye drops, NovoTears are made from your own blood serum and do not contain preservatives. These drops contain nutrients and proteins to promote good eye health, and can help nourish your eyes just like real tears.2 Multiple studies have shown that serum tears are better than conventional therapies for treating severe ocular surface defects, including dry eye.
NovoTears are also easy and affordable. After your doctor sends us your prescription, we’ll help you find a convenient blood draw location, and then have your prescription delivered to your home. The total cost per month can be less than $100.
In addition, we will be there to support you. You can call us with any questions or concerns, and our pharmacists are available to talk with you about NovoTears and any other medications you may be taking.
Hear from a NovoTears patient.
Learn how NovoTears helped one patient find relief from her dry eye.
NovoTears® Plus combines NovoTears with cyclosporine. This allows your doctor to further customize your prescription to meet your needs.
Get started with NovoTears.
Talk to your doctor if you think NovoTears is right for you.
How to fill your prescription:
- Your doctor can send us your prescription, or you can fax it to us
- Once we receive your prescription, a knowledgeable member of our team will call you to discuss the NovoTears program and answer all of your questions
- If you choose to proceed, we will arrange a blood draw at a lab near you or help you schedule a blood draw in your home or other convenient location. We’ll send a blood draw kit directly to the center or mobile lab
- We will call you when your NovoTears prescription is ready to arrange delivery
Use NovoTears
Safety and storage information
Both NovoTears and NovoTears Plus come in packaging that puts your safety first. From production to delivery, we do more to make sure your prescriptions stay uncontaminated and ready for you to use.
Remember to follow the instructions that came with your NovoTears or NovoTears Plus prescription. If you have any questions, please call our NovoTears Hotline at 443.318.7395 (9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EST).
Watch this video for step-by-step instructions on how to store and safely use your NovoTears.
Use and storage
Your supply of NovoTears or NovoTears Plus will arrive in a cooler. Take one bottle and place it in the refrigerator. This is the bottle you will use first. Put the other bottles in your freezer (make sure the temperature is set below -4 degrees Fahrenheit).
Each bottle is good for up to 7 days once opened. Once you have used the bottle in your refrigerator, take another bottle from the freezer and put it in the refrigerator to use next.
Remember, your prescription is made just for you. Do not let anyone else use your drops, and keep the bottles away from children and anyone who cannot read or understand the label.
Beyond-Use Date
In the refrigerator, each bottle lasts for up to 7 days. Often, you will finish a bottle before it has been in the refrigerator for 7 days.
Do not use a NovoTears or NovoTears Plus bottle after it has passed its Beyond-Use Date.
Follow-up visits
You will have regular follow-up visits with your doctor to make sure continuing to use NovoTears or NovoTears Plus is right for you. If it is, we will refill your prescription based on your doctor’s orders. Refills require an additional blood draw.
Possible side effects
It is not always possible to predict if you will have any problems while using NovoTears or NovoTears Plus. Be sure to tell your physician about any potential side effects. Common symptoms of dry eye and common side effects of eye drops include, but are not limited to:
- Stinging or burning
- Tearing
- Discharge
- Itching
- Sandiness or grittiness
- Blurred vision
- Dryness of the eye
- Light sensitivity
- Redness
- Pain
Common side effects associated with blood draws include, but are not limited to:
- Pain or discomfort
- Dizziness
- Bruising
- Fainting (rare)
- Bleeding
- Infection at the needle site (rare)
Get answers to frequently asked questions.
How do I pay for NovoTears?
You can pay for your prescription with a credit card, HSA/FSA card or check. Please note, an HSA/FSA card cannot be used to pay for shipping. If you want to pay by check, we must receive the check before you get your blood drawn.
Is NovoTears covered by my insurance?
NovoTears are prescribed by your physician and are made especially for you. Often, medication that is made for a specific patient is not covered by insurance. However, you should check with your insurance company to understand your options.
Many insurance companies will let you use your health savings account (HSA) or flexible spending account (FSA) to pay for NovoTears.
My insurance company asked for a CPT code or universal claim form (UCF). How do I get one?
Because our specialty compounding medication is made for each patient, in many cases our medications are not covered by insurance, so we do not provide UCFs (universal claim forms) or have CPT codes. You can pay for your prescription with a credit card, HSA/FSA card or check.
Why can’t I just use the eye drops from my local pharmacy?
A common treatment for dry eyes are artificial tears, which are available at retail pharmacies. They may provide some lubrication, however they lack the natural nutrients necessary to maintain a healthy tear film. For people with chronic dry eye, serum tears, like NovoTears, can provide much better relief from itching, pain and potential loss of vision. This is because serum tears provide both lubrication and growth factors and vitamins found in real tears.
How much blood is drawn?
It depends on your physician’s orders. For a healthy, fully hydrated patient, we draw between 100 to 150 milliliters (mL) of blood to process a NovoTears prescription.
Where can I have my blood drawn?
We contract with labs in every state, and will help you find a convenient location for your blood draw. We can also help you schedule an in-home blood draw with a mobile lab.
How much do I get with my prescription?
Depending on the concentration that your doctor prescribed, 100 mL of drawn blood will typically yield 30 individual 3 mL eye dropper bottles.
Once I have my blood drawn, how long will it take until my NovoTears are ready?
We typically have NovoTears ready in three to five days.
Do I need to eat or drink before my blood draw?
Yes. It is helpful if you are fully hydrated, so please drink lots of water. It is also helpful if you have eaten before you come in for your blood draw. You do not need to fast before your blood draw.
Do I have to have another blood draw every time I get a refill of NovoTears?
Yes. Refills require a new blood draw. We do not save any blood from previous draws; it would not be usable for a new prescription.
I know NovoTears need to be kept refrigerated once opened. What if I am out all day?
Because NovoTears are made from biological ingredients from your blood, your prescription could develop bacterial growth. We recommend carrying NovoTears in a cooler when you are out.
How often do I need to use NovoTears? How long will I need to use NovoTears? Can I keep using other drops?
Ask your doctor. He or she will have a treatment plan for you.
Get support
At AIS Healthcare Ophthalmics, we’re committed to doing more for our patients. Throughout your treatment, you can call our NovoTears Hotline with any questions you may have: 443.318.7395 (9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EST).
You can also talk to one of our highly trained pharmacists anytime. Just call 833.623.0803 (available 24/7).
In addition, you can visit the AIS Healthcare Ophthalmics patient support page, where you’ll find billing and insurance information, links to advocacy groups and more.
AIS Healthcare Ophthalmics
10 Warren Road, Suite 220
Hunt Valley, MD 21030
aiscaregroup.com/ophthalmics
410.667.6246
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1Farrand KF et al. Prevalence of diagnosed dry eye disease in the United States among adults aged 18 years and older. Am J Ophthalmol. 2017 Oct;182:90-98. doi: 10.1016/j.ajo.2017.06.033.
2Kojima T et al. The effect of autologous serum eyedrops in the treatment of severe dry eye disease: a prospective randomized case-control study. Am J Ophthalmol. 2005 Feb;139(2):242-6. doi: 10.1016/j.ajo.2004.08.040.