OAO Dry Eye Center

'Healing Vision, Restoring Life'

Bio-Tissue created Prokera to leverage the potent healing properties of amniotic tissue that is responsible for regeneration. It is cryopreserved to retain key benefits of this tissue that include suppressing ocular surface inflammation, decreasing corneal scarring and angiogenesis.

What advantage does cryopreserved amniotic tissue have over dehydrated amniotic tissue?

Heat dehydrated amniotic membrane grafts are processed in a way that destroys crucial biologic components, increasing the risks for repeated epithelial defects or erosions, chronic inflammation, scarring, vision loss, or pain.

What is amniotic membrane tissue?

An amniotic membrane has biological properties that aid in tissue repair. These tissues have natural therapeutic actions that help damaged eye surfaces heal. Eyes treated with this technique generally improve significantly and have less scarring and  inflammation. The amniotic membrane in very thin, typically less than 50 microns, and generally comfortable. 

Amniotic membranes are harvested and must be in immaculate condition and taken without complications.  The process of harvesting and processing these tissues is tightly controlled under heavy restrictions.

What does PROKERA treat?

These medical devices are used by eye doctors to treat ocular surface diseases such as keratitis, corneal scars, chemical burns, corneal defects, partial limbal stem cell deficiency, Simplex keratitis and many other ocular surface diseases.  They are provided by a tissue bank regulated by the FDA. The tissue has passed multiple severe quality control tests before being provided to your doctor. Ask your doctor if you are concerned about the risks involved with using human tissue. Here are some of many conditions Prokera can help with:

• Dry Eye Syndrome, Exposure Keratopathy
• Filamentary Keratitis
• Infectious Keratitis
• Neurotrophic Persistent Corneal Epithelial Defect
• Recurrent Corneal Erosion
• Corneal Ulcers
• Pre-Cataract Optimization
• Chemical burns
• Post-DSEK for Bullous Keratopathy
• Salzmann’s Nodular Degeneration

Are Amniotic membranes safe?

Prokera is a safe treatment provided by an FDA regulated tissue bank. The tissue is donated from consenting, healthy mothers who have had an uncomplicated C-section. The donor and tissue have passed numerous quality control tests including social habits, physical and medical screening before it is provided to your doctor.

What should you expect?

PROKERA is similar to a large contact lens. You may experience an awareness while inserted,  but they are not normally painful and generally comfortable. The amount of time the Prokera is inserted in your eye depends on the level of severity of corneal disease, but typically is from 2-5 days.

Special instructions for amniotic membrane use:

• Avoid rubbing your eyes, forceful blinking, or moving the membrane with your fingers
• Do not remove the membrane without consulting your eye doctor first
• Do not swim or soak your eye with water
• Shower only when the eye is tightly closed
• Do not drive or operate heavy machinery or perform functions that require unobstructed vision or good depth perception
• Use eye drops and other medications as prescribed by your eye doctor

Contact your eye doctor right away if you are uncomfortable or have any other problems with either device, such as swelling, redness, or discharge.