Suffer from dry eyes? Take note…
Chronic dry eye is not just annoying and painful. Believe it or not, it can also be dangerous. This irritating condition can damage your cornea and even result in vision loss.
But it’s more complex than your eyes just being dry. As you age your body produces less oil. That creates an imbalance of water, oils, and proteins—your tears—that coat and protect the outer surface of your eye.
But if you’re looking for relief from a drug, look elsewhere. The drug Restasis can cause side effects. And get this… Those effects actually mimic the symptoms you’re trying to treat.
You’re slightly better off sticking to an OTC drop. But only slightly. They contain hyaluronic acid (HA) which is not harmful. There is still one problem though… It only provides brief lubrication. The acid doesn’t stay on the surface of the eye. In the end, you only get temporary relief. And no solution to your problem.
So to truly get long-lasting relief you must address the root of the problem—the lack of natural oil.
| Another reason to add more omega-3 to your diet… It will add years to your life by protecting your heart. Eating fatty fish also helps reduce your risk for other diseases such as cancer, mental and emotional disorders, and Alzheimer’s. |
And one dietary addition not only replenishes your natural oils, it can reverse chronic dry eye…
To naturally produce lubricating tears, add a little omega-3 to your diet.
In a study published in Ophthalmology, people with chronic dry eye had relief in 30 days by supplementing with 180 mg EPA and 120 mg DHA twice a day.
Omega-3 supplementation decreased tear evaporation, improved dry eye symptoms, and increased tear secretion. It reduces inflammation in the eye so the eye can properly produce tears and lower irritation.
The Brigham and Women’s Hospital studied more than 32,000 women between the ages of 45 and 84. They found that women who ate five or more servings of tuna per week lowered their risk of dry eyes by 65 percent. And the women who had the lowest intake of omega-3s had a 20 percent increased risk of developing dry eyes.
Your body can’t produce omega-3. So you must get it from food or a supplement. Good sources are oily fish such as wild salmon, mackerel, and tuna. Flaxseed is also a great source.
Tears bathe the eye. They wash out dust and debris. And they keep the eye moist. If you suffer from chronic dry eye don’t wait until damage has occurred and your vision is impaired.
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References:
1 http://altmedicine.about.com/od/healthconditionsdisease/a/dry_eyes.htm
2 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23642375
3 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16210721