Oral Omega-3 Fatty Acid Treatment for Dry Eye in Contact Lens Wearers
Abstract
PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of dietary omega-3 fatty acid (O3FA) supplementation on dry eye symptoms, tear film tests, and conjunctival impression cytology in patients with contact lens wear-associated dry eye. METHODS: In this randomized, double-blind, multicentric trial, contact lens wearers (n = 496) were randomized to receive either O3FAs or placebo capsules (corn oil) twice daily for 6 months. Subjects underwent examinations at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. At each visit, a questionnaire of dry eye symptoms and lens wear comfort was administered. Subjects further underwent measurement of tear film break-up time (TBUT) and a Schirmer test. Conjunctival impression cytology was performed by the transfer method. Improvement in symptoms and lens wear comfort were primary outcome measures. Changes from baseline in TBUT, Schirmer, and Nelson grade at 6 months were secondary outcome measures. RESULTS: The mean improvement in symptom score in the O3FA group was 4.7 ± 2 (2.0) as compared with 0.5 ± 2 (0.9) in the placebo group (P < 0.0001). Lens wear comfort levels improved significantly (P < 0.0001) from baseline. There was a significant increase in TBUT [3.3 ± 2 (1.5)] and Nelson grade [0.7 ± 2 (0.6)] in the O3FA group (P < 0.0001) as compared with 0.3 ± 2 (0.6) and 0.1 ± 2 (0.4) in the placebo group (P = 0.164 and 0.094, respectively). However, the magnitude of increase in Schirmer score [2.0 ± 2 (1.5)] was relatively small (P = 0.08). CONCLUSI…
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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 [18]
Aside from several large trials conducted in India by Bhargava et al., previous clinical trials involved fewer than 125 total patients.
“Aside from several large trials that were conducted in India by Bhargava et al.,15–18 the previous clinical trials involved fewer than 125 total patients.”
From n−3 Fatty Acid Supplementation for the Treatment of Dry Eye Disease (2018) · cites this paper as [18]
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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
- Bhargava, R., & Kumar, P.
- Affiliations
- Santosh University (IN)
- ORCID
- Bhargava, Rahul
- Venue
- Cornea
- Published
- 2015-04
- Volume
- 34
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 413-420
- ISSN
- 0277-3740 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2322046739
- Cited by
- 71
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 5
- FWCI
- 9.80
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Cornea (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, dietary supplementation, dry eye, contact lens wear, tear film break-up time, Schirmer test, conjunctival impression cytology, dry eye symptoms
- MeSH terms
- Administration, Oral, Capsules, Cell Count, Contact Lenses, Double-Blind Method, Female, Humans, Prospective Studies, Surveys and Questionnaires, Tears, Dry Eye Syndromes, Fatty Acids, Omega-3, Epithelium, Corneal, Goblet Cells
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