Dry Eye & Nutrition Update - Part 4

Could what you eat make your eyes look and feel better?

What you eat can make an impact on how your eyes look and feel. So here are some times about what dietary changes and supplements can help improve your’e eye appearance and comfort.

A high intake of Omega-6 in the typical western diet is generally considered proinflammatory and a problem in Dry Eye Disease. The omega-6 gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) is different. GLA heavily favours the anti-inflammatory pathway when processed in our body, and when added to EPA, GLA blocks the proinflammatory pathway. 

GLA is found in just a few plant-based oils including hemp seed oil, evening primrose oil, borage seed oil, and blackcurrant oil. It can also be found oats, barley, spirulina, and hemp seeds.

It has been shown in multiple controlled trials to have positive effects specifically for dry eye including reduced inflammation on the eye surface, reduced dry eye symptoms, and improve contact lens discomfort. 

For these reasons GLA is now often incorporated into Omega-3 supplements for Dry Eye including Lacritec (ANZ), DryEyeForte (ANZ) and HydroEye (US). 

Consider talking to your health care professional about whether GLA could be a good addition for you to consider.