Having dry eyes can be uncomfortable or painful. People with the problem may experience a stinging, gritty or burning sensation because their eyes are not producing enough tears or are producing poor-quality tears. It's a common eye condition and one that occurs more often as we get older. What you eat can play a role in dry eye syndrome.
Considerations
The National Eye Institute has a long list of factors that can cause dry eyes; nutrition is just one of them. The problem can be brought on by some medicines and medical conditions, skin disease around the eye or diseases of the eyelid glands. Women who are pregnant and people who undergo LASIK eye surgery may complain of dry eyes. Smoking, allergies, contact lens wear and infrequent blinking when staring at a computer screen may also cause eyes to dry out. In parts of the world plagued by malnutrition, a lack of vitamin A is often the cause of dry eye complaints.
Diet
Dr. Mark Grossman of VisionworksUSA.com says diet can play a part in the development of dry eyes. He says one of the most important things for people with dry eyes to do is watch the amount of sugar they consume. Grossman notes that consuming more than 11 tsp. of sugar a day has been linked to dry eye syndrome. It might also be a good idea to cut back on the fats you get from red meat, dairy products and fried foods. Grossman says these fats interfere with the body's use of essential fatty acids, such as omega-3, and can indirectly cause eye dryness.
Vitamins
Medline Plus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, reports that vitamin A deficiency is rare in the United States. However, it has been linked to dry eye syndrome in parts of the world where people tend to be lacking sufficient vitamin A sources in their diet. Vitamin deficiencies can be treated by adding more vitamin-rich foods to the diet or taking supplements. Grossman reports the vitamins B6 and C also are important for the production of tears.
Fatty Acids and Minerals
MayoClinic.com reports that omega-3 fatty acids may help reduce the symptoms of dry eye syndrome. You can get omega-3 from canola, soybean or flaxseed oil, as well as salmon and tuna. It's also available in supplements. Grossman notes that potassium is "probably the most important mineral for dry eye symptoms." Many patients who complain about dry eyes have low levels of potassium.
Treatments
You shouldn't assume that nutrition is to blame for your dry eyes. The National Eye Institute stresses you need to determine the underlying cause to get proper treatment. In some cases, that might just mean changing to another prescription medicine or switching to a different type of contact lenses. If the problem is caused by some underlying health problem, that needs to be addressed. Some people respond well to eye drops or prescription medication. In other cases, drainage holes in the eyes can be plugged or surgery can be performed to relieve dry eye problems.
