The thyroid gland, located in your neck, produces hormones that help to regulate many aspects of your body's metabolism. Thyroid disease typically occurs when the gland produces too much or too little of these hormones, requiring medication to balance these levels. Symptoms may include fatigue and changes in weight. In addition, thyroid conditions may affect the eyes, resulting in thyroid eye disease, a condition known as Graves' disease. For some people, flax seed oil may offer relief from the resulting symptoms.
Symptoms
Graves' disease results from inflammation of the fat, muscle and tissue surrounding the eye. Inflammation of the muscles that control eye movement may result in vision changes, including double vision. Eyelids may swell, and the white of the eyes may appear red. Swelling in the tissue behind the eye may push one or both eyes forward, resulting in a condition called proptosis.
Dry Eye
A person with proptosis may have eyes that appear to bulge out, and the person may struggle to close her eyelids completely. Since the eyelids cover the surface of the eye with a nourishing tear film with each blink, failure to cover the surface fully may cause dry eye. Dry eye may make the eyes feel gritty, as if you have sand or a foreign body in your eye, and your eyes may burn. In such cases, flax seed oil may help to improve the nourishing qualities of the tear film, which could provide relief.
Flax Seed Oil
Flax seed oil cannot treat Graves' disease or dry eye, but flax seed oil contains omega-3, an essential fatty acid that may help to improve the symptoms of dry eye. You can add liquid flax seed oil to your morning cereal or pour over other foods. Some pharmacies may also carry flax seed oil capsules. Before starting flax seed oil, you should discuss the potential benefits with your health care provider to determine if flax seed oil is a good option for you. If you and your doctor think this may offer some benefit, she will recommend a dosage that meets your nutritional and medical needs.
Considerations
In addition to flax seed oil, a person with thyroid eye disease may also need to use artificial tears to help to reduce discomfort from dry eye. Medications may help to control hormone production in the thyroid, but many people with Graves' disease continue to have inflammation of the tissues around the eye, explains the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Warnings
Discuss flax seed oil with your health care provider, and give her a list of all the supplements and medications you currently use. Flax seed oil may interact with medications, and your doctor can help you determine if flax seed oil is safe for you to use. For example, flax seed oil may intensify the effects of blood-thinning medications, warns the University of Maryland Medical Center.
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