WASHINGTON — Add eye health to the reasons why omega-3 fatty acids might be good for you.
“Changing your diet can improve your ocular health,” Doctor Shilpa Rose of Whitten Laser Eye said, citing a study published in Cornea, the Journal of Cornea and External Disease.
“Adding (to your diet) omega-3 fatty acids from a marine source has been proven to change your tears and improve your dry eye symptoms,” Rose said.
Left untreated, severe dry eye disease can cause pain, ulcers or scars on the eye’s cornea, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Dry eye is becoming epidemic, said Rose, who added that it is an underdiagnosed condition.
“People suffer from dry eyes every single day. Especially with the increased use of digital devices, cell phone reading and computer use,” Rose said.
Symptoms of dry eyes include:
- Headaches
- A gritty sensation
- Redness
- Change of vision
- Blurry vision
“Your tear film provides 25 percent of the refractive index of the eye,” Rose said. “So if your eyes are dry, your vision is going to be blurry by 25 percent. That’s a huge number.”
The chance of experiencing dry eye increases with age. It affects about 5 percent of people 30 to 40, and it affects 10–15 percent of people older than 65, according to the FDA. It’s also more common among women.
Omega-3 fatty acids already have been shown to reduce inflammation, and research shows they also may help lower the risk of such chronic diseases as heart disease, cancer and arthritis, according to the University Of Maryland Medical Center.
