New at Insight
NEW ARTICLESFor past Eyeware articles, visit our Eyecare News Archive |
What Causes Dry Eye in Women?Created:November 16, 2005Dry eye syndrome in women may be caused by a dietary deficiency of omega-3s -- essential fatty acids usually provided in the diet by fish such as tuna or salmon, according to a new U.S. study.Consuming sufficient omega-3s may reduce dry eye risk by 68 percent. The study analyzed data from surveys collected from more than 37,000 women enrolled in the Brigham and Women's Hospital-based Women's Health Study. Dry eye syndrome is a chronic and uncomfortable eye disease that affects more than eight million people in the U.S. Women are affected twice as frequently as men. The syndrome is caused by a decrease in tear production or increase in tear evaporation that makes the tears too "salty." Symptoms of dry eye include dryness, burning, and/or a sandy, gritty sensation. Left untreated, dry eye may result in decreased vision, and complicated by ulceration and scarring. "Our study examined the relationship between omega-3 and omega-6 consumption and the risk of dry eye. Tuna is the major source of omega-3 in the American diet. Vegetable oils are the major sources of omega-6," said study co-author Jeffrey P. Gilbard, MD of the Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, in a prepared statement. Specifically, the study found:
"Given the warnings by the FDA regarding mercury and tuna fish, we don't recommend dry eye patients eat tuna 5 or more times per week," said Dr. Gilbard. "Salmon and anchovies are very low in mercury, and a better choice." For those of his patients who find this difficult or impossible, Dr. Gilbard recommends TheraTears Nutrition, a purified omega-3 supplement designed for patients with dry eye. The study appears in the October issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. |