ExoDrops™
Your protocol. What to know before you arrive — how this needle-free topical ocular exosome application works, what your visit involves, how to prepare, and what to expect afterward.
About This Page
This page is for you — someone who has already spoken with the OmniStem medical team and has a care plan that includes ExoDrops™ ocular application. What follows covers how the protocol works, what the experience is like during your visit, how to prepare your eyes in the weeks before you arrive, what the treatment supports, and what to expect in the days and weeks after your session.
Your care plan already reflects your specific ocular presentation and any additional protocols scheduled alongside ExoDrops™ on your treatment day. This is the context behind those decisions.
What You Are Receiving
ExoDrops™ is a topical ocular exosome application — a concentrated preparation of UC-MSC-derived exosomes delivered directly to the ocular surface through eye drops. There are no needles, no injections, and no anesthesia involved. The exosomes are applied to the conjunctival surface, where they are absorbed into the ocular tissue and begin delivering regenerative signals to the structures of the eye that need them.
The eye is immunologically privileged tissue — operating under a tightly regulated immune environment designed to protect the delicate structures of vision. Yet ocular conditions from dry eye disease to macular degeneration to diabetic retinopathy are driven by the same mechanisms that drive degeneration elsewhere in the body: chronic low-grade inflammation, oxidative stress, compromised microvascular supply, and the progressive failure of cellular repair to keep pace with tissue damage.
Exosomes are exceptionally well suited to the ocular environment — their nanoscale size lets them penetrate the conjunctival epithelium and reach the deeper layers of the eye.
UC-MSC Exosomes for ocular tissue
Produced in OmniStem's GMP-aligned laboratory, these exosomes carry a cargo specifically relevant to ocular tissue health: VEGF at regulated concentrations that support vascular repair without promoting pathological neovascularization; BDNF and CNTF that support retinal ganglion cell and optic nerve survival; TGF-β signaling that regulates ocular immune privilege and reduces inflammatory cascades on the surface; and microRNA that influences gene expression in corneal epithelial cells, retinal pigment epithelial cells, and the trabecular meshwork. Together they create a broad regenerative signal across the ocular surface and — through transscleral and conjunctival absorption — reach the deeper posterior-segment structures that chronic ocular conditions affect most.
Exosome signals are delivered across the full depth of the eye:
ExoDrops™ is administered on your treatment day alongside the other protocols in your care plan, sequenced by your physician to complement the systemic or local regenerative work in the same visit. In patients receiving a systemic IV infusion, the exosomes circulating systemically and those delivered topically to the eye work in parallel — the systemic anti-inflammatory environment amplifying the local ocular response.
The Application: What the Experience Is Like
The ExoDrops™ application is the simplest procedure in the OmniStem protocol catalogue. There is no preparation room, no needles, no anesthesia, and no recovery period.
You are seated comfortably. The physician or clinical staff member tilts your head slightly back and gently applies the exosome preparation as drops directly to the conjunctival surface of each eye — the same way standard eye drops are administered. You are asked to blink naturally and keep your eyes gently closed for a brief period afterward to allow full absorption.
There is no discomfort. Some patients notice a momentary sense of coolness or mild, transient blurriness immediately after application — both normal and resolving within minutes. You do not need to restrict activity, avoid light, or follow special instructions in the hours after, and the session is typically integrated into your broader treatment day without interrupting the flow of other scheduled protocols.
What Happens After the Application
24–48 hours
Early surface response
Most patients notice nothing unusual. Some report a mild sense of ocular comfort, reduced dryness, or decreased light sensitivity in the hours following the application — early surface-level responses as the exosome signals begin acting on the conjunctival and corneal epithelium. These early effects are genuine but do not represent the full biological response.
2–4 weeks
The ocular surface improves
Reduced epithelial inflammation, improved goblet cell density in the conjunctiva, and improved tear-film stability begin to manifest. Patients with dry eye disease and ocular surface inflammation frequently notice the most perceptible early changes: reduced grittiness, improved baseline comfort, and less reactive sensitivity to environmental triggers such as wind, screens, and air conditioning.
weeks
Deeper structures respond
For conditions with a deeper structural component — macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, optic nerve involvement — the response develops over a longer timeline. Neuroprotective and anti-angiogenic signaling at the retinal level, support for retinal pigment epithelial integrity, and reduced neuroinflammation along the optic pathway accumulate gradually. The absence of immediate dramatic visual change is not the absence of biological activity — retinal and optic-nerve repair is inherently slow.
months
Sustained effect matures
The sustained anti-inflammatory and cellular repair effects mature over this window, particularly for posterior-segment conditions. Visual function outcomes — contrast sensitivity, low-light performance, reduction in visual disturbance — are most meaningfully assessed at the three- and six-month marks alongside any imaging or functional testing your ophthalmologist conducts.
You will receive aftercare guidance before you leave Punta Cana, including supplement recommendations that support the ocular environment from within — particularly antioxidants relevant to retinal health — and guidance on protecting your eyes during the post-treatment repair window.
How to Prepare
The condition of your ocular surface on arrival directly affects how well the application is absorbed. The following applies to the weeks and days before your visit unless your care plan specifies otherwise.
Existing eye drops & medications — continue
Continue all prescribed eye drops — glaucoma medications, anti-VEGF topicals, cyclosporine (Restasis, Cequa), lifitegrast (Xiidra), or any other physician-prescribed ocular medication — unless your OmniStem physician specifically advises otherwise. Do not discontinue without direct guidance, and inform your physician of all topical and systemic medications related to your eye condition before your visit.
Contact lenses
Remove contact lenses — soft and rigid — at least 24 hours before your application and do not reinsert for at least 24 hours after. Contacts disrupt the tear film, alter conjunctival surface biology, and can interfere with delivery and absorption. If you wear contacts daily, bring glasses as your primary correction for arrival and the post-treatment day.
Eye makeup & topical products
Do not apply eye makeup — mascara, eyeliner, eyeshadow — or any topical eye creams, serums, or artificial tear gels to the periocular or conjunctival area on the morning of your treatment day. A clean, product-free ocular surface is essential for optimal exosome absorption.
Screen time & eye strain
In the 48 hours before your visit, reduce prolonged screen exposure and eye strain where possible — particularly with dry eye disease or active surface inflammation. Arriving with the ocular surface as calm and well-lubricated as possible improves the biological baseline. Preservative-free artificial tears are appropriate for comfort in the days beforehand.
Sun & UV exposure
Avoid significant unprotected UV exposure to the eyes in the week before your visit. UV-induced oxidative stress on the ocular surface and retinal pigment epithelium directly affects the inflammatory baseline the protocol works to reduce. Wear UV-protective sunglasses outdoors.
Systemic anti-inflammatories
Systemic NSAIDs can affect the ocular inflammatory environment. If you take them regularly, discuss timing with your OmniStem physician — this applies primarily if you are also receiving injection-based protocols on the same treatment day. For ExoDrops™ as a standalone consideration, confirm with your care team.
Hydration
Increase water intake to at least 2.5 to 3 liters per day in the two weeks before your visit. Systemic hydration directly affects tear-film quality and conjunctival mucosal health — both determine how well the surface absorbs and responds to topical exosome delivery. Dehydration is one of the most common and most addressable drivers of poor ocular surface condition.
Alcohol
Reduce alcohol in the days before your visit. Alcohol is dehydrating and pro-inflammatory — both effects that work directly against ocular surface health and the regenerative environment the application depends on.
Vaccinations
Do not receive any vaccine within three weeks of your treatment date. Live vaccines are contraindicated for four weeks on either side of treatment. Flag any scheduled vaccinations with your care team.
Illness
If you develop an active eye infection — conjunctivitis, stye, blepharitis flare, or any active ocular surface infection — in the two weeks before your visit, contact your care consultant immediately. Active ocular infection is a contraindication to proceed, and your physician needs to assess before you travel.
What ExoDrops™ Supports
Because exosomes are delivered to the conjunctival surface and absorbed into the ocular tissue — reaching the corneal stroma, limbal stem cell niche, and through transscleral absorption the posterior segment — the effects span the full depth of the eye. What patients consistently report, and what the emerging evidence around exosome ocular delivery supports, includes the following.
Relief from dry eye disease & surface inflammation
The most immediate and consistently reported benefit. Exosomes reduce the chronic epithelial inflammation that disrupts goblet cell function and tear-film stability — the underlying mechanisms of dry eye disease. Patients report reduced grittiness, dryness, burning, and light sensitivity as the conjunctival and corneal epithelial environment normalizes.
Corneal epithelial repair
Exosomes promote corneal epithelial cell proliferation and migration, supporting the healing of surface epithelial defects, reducing corneal haze in post-surgical presentations, and restoring the structural integrity of the corneal surface — a primary mechanism of benefit for post-surgical ocular recovery.
Support for limbal stem cell function
The limbal stem cells at the corneal periphery are the source of ongoing corneal epithelial renewal. Exosomes support limbal stem cell niche health — preserving the regenerative capacity of the corneal surface over time, not only addressing current damage.
Neuroprotection of retinal & optic nerve cells
BDNF and CNTF reach retinal neural tissue and support the survival of retinal ganglion cells — the neurons whose axons form the optic nerve. For patients with glaucomatous optic nerve damage, early optic neuropathy, or neuroinflammatory posterior-segment involvement, this neuroprotective mechanism is clinically relevant.
Retinal pigment epithelial integrity
RPE cells are central to photoreceptor support and the health of the outer retina. Exosomes reduce oxidative stress and inflammatory signaling in RPE cells — the primary mechanisms underlying dry age-related macular degeneration and early diabetic macular changes. This is a protective and stabilizing effect rather than a reversal of established structural damage.
Reduced pathological angiogenesis
Exosomes carry anti-angiogenic signaling that helps regulate the VEGF environment on the ocular surface — relevant where neovascularization contributes to disease progression, including proliferative diabetic retinopathy and corneal neovascularization.
Reduced neuroinflammation along the visual pathway
For conditions involving the optic nerve or posterior visual pathway, the systemic anti-inflammatory context created by accompanying IV protocols — when ExoDrops™ is administered the same treatment day — amplifies the local neuroprotective effect by reducing the systemic inflammatory burden driving neuroinflammation at the posterior segment.
Improved ocular comfort & quality of life
Across all indications, the most consistent patient-reported outcome is improved subjective ocular comfort — less fluctuation in visual clarity, less reactive sensitivity to environmental triggers, reduced dependence on artificial tears, and an improved overall sense of visual ease reflecting the normalization of the ocular surface inflammatory environment.
Your Biologics Are Already Being Prepared
Once your program is confirmed and your deposit is received, OmniStem's laboratory begins reserving and preparing the exosomes specific to your protocol. Your ExoDrops™ preparation is batch-allocated for you — produced and verified specifically for your treatment date, not drawn from general inventory.
Every exosome batch undergoes triple verification before it is cleared for patient use. The preparation used in your ocular application has passed all three.
If You Have Questions Before Your Visit
Your care consultant is your primary point of contact for anything logistical — travel, accommodation, scheduling, payment, or timeline. Clinical questions about your specific ocular presentation, your protocol, or any aspect of the application go directly to the medical team.
This material is provided for educational purposes to patients with a confirmed OmniStem care plan. It is not a substitute for the personalized clinical guidance in your care plan or for the care of your treating ophthalmologist. ExoDrops™ is designed to support the eye's own regenerative processes; individual responses vary, and no specific outcome is implied. Direct any clinical questions to your OmniStem physician or care consultant.