Dry eye syndrome is a condition that results when the surfaces of your eyes do not have enough lubrication. You may experience stinging or a gritty feeling in your eyes, redness, excessive tearing, stringy discharge or tired eyes. Some people may suffer with chronic symptoms, finding only minor relief with treatment. Your nutritional intake does not determine your risk for dry eye syndrome, but certain foods may help reduce inflammation associated with dry eye.
Cause
Dry eye results from two main causes. One cause stems from your eyes failing to make enough tears to adequately cover and nourish eye tissue. The second cause of dry eye is poor-quality tear film. Tear film has three layers: a mucous layer, a water layer and an oily layer. If you have more or less of one of these layers, dry eye symptoms may result. Nutrition does not play any role in the amount or quality of the tears your eyes produce.
Benefits
Nutrition could play a positive role in dry eye, since foods that contain omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory properties. Omega-3 fatty acids may help reduce inflammation of the conjunctiva caused by dry eye, offering some relief from discomfort. Foods that contain omega-3 include salmon, flaxseed and walnuts. You should not increase your omega-3 intake without first consulting your doctor. Omega-3 may interact with blood thinning medications and increase your risk for bleeding.
You should also make sure that you have an adequate intake of liquids, since this will prevent you from experiencing dehydration, a condition that could result in low tear production. The average person requires between eight and 10 glasses of water each day. Your doctor can help you determine the amount of water appropriate for you.
Risk Factors
Nutrition may not play a role in causing dry eye syndrome, but other factors may increase your risk for dry eye. Women and people over the age of 65 have the most problems with dry eyes. Certain medications, such as blood pressure medications and decongestants, may also increase your risk for dry eye. As well, some health conditions may increase the likelihood of eye dryness. These conditions include diabetes, thyroid disease and rheumatoid arthritis.
Considerations
If you have dry eye syndrome, your doctor may recommend that you use artificial tears. These eye drops do not contain medication and do not typically cause any side effects, so the drops are safe to use multiple times throughout the day. In many cases, artificial tears will provide periodic relief from symptoms associated with dry eye. If these drops do not help, your doctor may recommend a medication to increase tear production, or she may recommend a surgical procedure.
