Dr. Grossman’s Blog

via www.nei.nih.gov

Dry eye syndrome can be a difficult condition to cope with, especially if you are a contact lens wearer.

Many patients found that the eye drops that can be purchased at the pharmacy don’t work, and can even be hazardous to use – eye drops that contain preservatives can aggravate dry eye symptoms, and even kill corneal cells. Eye drops that promise to “get the red out” will reduce circulation in the eye, decrease production of the tear film, and worse, eventually make your eyes even drier.

A study published in Contact Lens and Anterior Eye showed that the omega-6 fatty acids in evening primrose oil can help reduce dry eye symptoms in female contact lens wearers.  After six months, the women in the trial who were administered evening primrose oil reported less eye dryness than those who received the placebo (olive oil).

Read more research studies on dry eyes.

For other natural treatment options for dry eye, click here.

In a pilot study, patients suffering from dry eye symptoms who exhibited a chronic need/use of lubricant drops were given X500 mg capsules of evening Primrose oil (Efamol-73% linoleic acid and 10% gamma-linolenic acid), 50 mg vitamin B6 (pyroxidine) and 1 g vitamin C three times a day. Over 50% of those in the study showed substantial improvement within 2-6 weeks. For more information on research on dry eye conditions, please visit our website.

A recent study shows that consumption of omega-6 fatty acid may help alleviate dry eye symptoms and improve overall lens comfort in patients suffering from contact lens-associated dry eye.

Researchers evaluated the effects of oral treatment with omega-6 fatty acids in the form of evening primrose oil (EPO) on subjective symptoms, ocular surface signs and tear film characteristic in patients with contact lens-associated dry eye.

76 female soft contact lens wearers were treated for six months either with omega-6 fatty acids in the form of EPO or placebo (olive oil). The patients were given three examinations (baseline, three and six months) to test tear film characteristics (tear meniscus height, break-up time), meibomian gland function (lipid layer thickness and quality) and ocular surface parameters (hyperemia and staining). At each examination the women were given a questionnaire relating to lens comfort and dry eye symptoms.

The EPO group showed a significant improvement in the specific symptom of “dryness” at three and six months as well as a significant improvement in overall lens comfort at six months. Tear meniscus height was increased in the EPO group at six months relative to baseline, although all other objective signs were unchanged.

These findings support a 2003 study on omega-6 fatty acids which evaluated the effect of systemic linoleic acid (LA) and gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) on patients with dry eyes.

GLA is an essential fatty acid in the omega-6 family that is found primarily in plant-based oils, such as evening primrose oil, black currant seed oil, and borage seed oils. Essential fatty acids help the body’s natural ability to fight inflammation, but cannot be made in the body and must be obtained from food. LA, another omega-6 fatty acid, is found in plant oils such as safflower oil and is converted to GLA in the body.

In a randomized clinical trial, 26 patients with dry eye (aqueous-deficient keratoconjunctivitis sicca) were randomly divided into two groups of 13 patients each. The study group received tablets containing LA (28.5 mg) and GLA (15 mg) twice daily for 45 days; the control group received a placebo tablet for 45 days.

The results? Researchers found that therapy with LA and GLA and tear substitutes reduced ocular surface inflammation and improved dry eye symptoms.

Read more about dry eye and studies on dry eye

SOURCE: Oral Omega-6 Essential Fatty Acid Treatment in Contact Lens Associated Dry Eye. Kokke, et al. Cont Lens Anterior Eye 2008;31(3):141-6.

SOURCE: Systemic Linoleic and Gamma-Linolenic Acid Therapy in Dry Eye Syndrome With an Inflammatory Component, Barabino, et al.Cornea. 22(2):97-101, March 2003.