Chronic dry eyes often feel tired and uncomfortable. You may feel as if you have a foreign body in your eye, or your vision may blur. Many people use eye drops to treat these symptoms of dry eye, but the drops don't offer a remedy for the condition itself. Omega-3 fatty acids, such as those found in flaxseed oil, may offer some benefits for treating your chronic dry eye condition.
Cause
You may have chronic dry eye as a result of your eye's inability to produce enough tears, or your tears may be of a low quality. Flaxseed oil can't encourage the glands around your eye to produce more tears. However, the fatty acids may help improve tear quality and offer some relief from the symptoms caused by inflammation from dry eye, the Mayo Clinic says.
Dosage
An average dose of flaxseed oil often consists of 1 tbsp. to 2 tbsp. each day, explains the University of Maryland Medical Center. Always follow the recommendation of your physician. Remember to keep flaxseed oil in your refrigerator and avoid leaving it in light; this may destroy the nutritional value.
Alternatives
Instead of flaxseed oil, you may choose to take flaxseed capsules or use ground flaxseed that you can sprinkle over foods or add to foods when cooking. You may also opt to use fish oil, which contains the beneficial omega-3 fatty acids that may help dry eye. You can add foods to your daily intake that offer omega-3 fatty acids. These foods include salmon, tuna, walnuts and canola oil, says MayoClinic.com.
Additional Treatment
Flaxseed oil may take time to help your dry eye symptoms, or you may find that you still experience mild symptoms. Work with your eye doctor or health care provider to come up with a treatment plan. This may include the use of artificial tears, plugging the tear ducts to prevent tear drainage or the use of a medication to promote tear production, explains the American Optometric Association.
Considerations
Before you begin using flaxseed oil, discuss your supplements, medications and overall health with your health practitioner. Your health care provider can also help determine the dose of flaxseed oil that may offer the most benefits to your chronic dry eyes and general health.
