Short-term Consumption of Oral Omega-3 and Dry Eye Syndrome
Open accessAbstract
Purpose To assess the effect of oral omega-3 fatty acids on tear break-up time (TBUT), Schirmer's score, and Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) through a double-blind clinical trial. Design Randomized, double-blind clinical trial. Participants Sixty-four patients with dry eye symptoms between the ages of 45 and 90 years were randomized into 2 groups: 33 persons in the treatment group and 31 persons in the placebo group. Methods The treatment group received 2 capsules of omega-3 (each containing 180 mg eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA] and 120 mg docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]) daily for 30 days, and the placebo group received 2 medium-chain triglyceride oil capsules daily for 1 month. The outcomes were measured 1 month after the intervention. Main outcome measures The primary outcome measure was an increase from baseline in TBUT at day 30. Secondary outcome measures were a decrease from baseline in the OSDI score and an increase in the Schirmer's score at day 30. Results In the placebo group, before the intervention, the mean TBUT, OSDI, and Schirmer's scores were 4.5 ± 2.1 seconds, 36.4 ± 13.8, and 6.0 ± 2.6 mm, respectively, and 1 month later were 4.7 ± 2.6 seconds, 37.6 ± 13.5, and 6.2 ± 2.5 mm, respectively. In the treatment group, these values were 3.9 ± 1.7 seconds, 38.7 ± 16.5, and 5.8 ± 2.5 mm before the intervention and 5.67 ± 2.6 seconds, 29.3 ± 15.9, and 6.8 ± 2.8 mm after the intervention, respectively. Repeated-measures analysis of variance showed that improvements in TBUT, OSDI, and Schirmer's scores were significantly better in the treatment group than in the placebo group. The changes in the treatment and placebo groups were 71% and 3.3% for TBUT (P < 0.001), 26% and 4% (P=0.004) for dry eye symptoms, and 22.3% and 5.1% for Schirmer's score (P=0.033), respectively. Conclusions This study demonstrated that oral consumption of omega-3 fatty acids (180 mg EPA and 120 mg DHA twice daily for 30 days) is associated with a decrease in the rate of tear evaporation, an improvement in dry eye symptoms, and an increase in tear secretion.
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Most previous randomized, placebo-controlled trials of n-3 fatty acids for dry eye disease showed significantly greater improvement in symptoms or in at least one sign in the n-3 group than in the placebo group.
“Most of these trials showed significantly greater improvement in symptoms or in at least one of several signs of dry eye disease in the n–3 fatty acid group than in the placebo group.15,18–22,24,26”
From n−3 Fatty Acid Supplementation for the Treatment of Dry Eye Disease (2018) · cites this paper as [21]
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n−3 Fatty Acid Supplementation for the Treatment of Dry Eye Disease
The Dry Eye Assessment and Management Study Research Group (2018) · New England Journal of Medicine · doi:10.1056/nejmoa1709691 · Cited by 274 · see citing works
- Authors
- Kangari, H., Eftekhari, M. H., Sardari, S., Hashemi, H., Salamzadeh, J., Ghassemi-Broumand, M., & Khabazkhoob, M.
- Affiliations
- Shahid Beheshti University (IR)
- Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (IR)
- Noor Eye Hospital (IR)
- Dezful University of Medical Sciences (IR)
- Corresponding author
- Sardari, Sara
- Venue
- Ophthalmology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2013-11
- Volume
- 120
- Issue
- 11
- Pages
- 2191-2196
- ISSN
- 0161-6420 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2024054650
- Cited by
- 128
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 14 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 16 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 13 · 2013: 1
- FWCI
- 11.67
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Ophthalmology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Ocular Surface and Contact Lens
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Fatty Acid Research and Health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Ophthalmology › Retinal Diseases and Treatments
- Keywords
- omega-3 fatty acids, dry eye, eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, tear film break-up time, Schirmer test, Ocular Surface Disease Index, ocular surface disease, dietary supplementation, tear film stability, ocular lubrication, older adults
- MeSH terms
- Administration, Oral, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Capsules, Docosahexaenoic Acids, Double-Blind Method, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Surveys and Questionnaires, Tears, Eicosapentaenoic Acid, Dry Eye Syndromes, Fatty Acids, Omega-3
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