Fish Oil vs Occasional Dry Eye Supplement

Like overall health, eye health issues can become complicated if you only focus on one possible cause. For example, occasional dry eye is more than a contact lens discomfort or a lack of tears. It’s a multifaceted concern that could have several causes and contributors, and most of the time, regular fish oil supplements are not enough to relieve all of the symptoms.

Fish oils

Fish oil supplements contain just that: fish oil. Typically suggested for heart concerns, they are not specifically made to relieve occasional dry eye symptoms. The main reason fish oils are prescribed for dryness and irritation is for the Omega-3s. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are some of the most important fatty acids found in fish oils, but it could take patients 4-7 pills per day to get the amount of Omega-3s needed for relief.

amount of pills

Occasional Dry Eye Supplements

Occasional dry eye nutraceuticals, on the other hand, are designed with multiple ingredients to specifically relieve patients’ symptoms. Most supplements contain Omega-3s, supporting the significant structural components of tissue cell membranes, but quality between the different products can vary. It’s important to verify the purity standards of each product or company.

Occasional dry eye nutraceuticals are more than Omega-3s and fish oil. Effective nutraceuticals will have a number of ingredients specifically aimed at alleviating symptoms from the inside out. One ingredient that is effective is evening primrose oil which contains gamma-linoleic acid (GLA), an ingredient shown to positively impact symptoms.

Green tea extract also aids in the relief of occasional dry eye. This ingredient influences anti-inflammatory pathways in systemic and ocular tissues, and the EGCG contained within the extract is a natural inhibitor of MMP-9, a catalyst for ocular surface pro-inflammatory cytokines, a major contributor of occasional dry eye.

Vitamin A (as Retinyl Palmitate) has been proven to benefit occasional dry eye as well. Vitamin A supports the cornea, conjunctiva, meibomian glands, and lacrimal glands and plays an important role in maintaining the mucous layer of the tear film.

While Omega-3s are an important component to occasional dry eye relief, some patients don’t feel relief with fish oil alone. With these extra ingredients, relief comes faster. For example, EyePromise® EZ Tears™ includes the above-mentioned ingredients and has been proven to improve symptoms in as little as 1 week.

In the Ocular Nutrition Impact on Tear Film study, researchers found that almost 90% of participants felt relief after 4 weeks of supplementing with two EZ Tears softgels a day. This result is monumental for occasional dry eye patients, and because of these outcomes, EyePromise offers a 30-day, money-back guarantee.

EyePromise EZ Tears is a nutraceutical designed for occasional dry eye relief and is more likely to relieve patients’ symptoms than fish oil alone. I personally recommend EyePromise EZ Tears because of scientific proof behind its efficacy and the guarantee. The fast relief and quality ingredients work remarkably well for my patients. I encourage you to do your own research and find what works for yours.

Mile Brujic, OD, FAAO, graduated from the New England College of Optometry in 2002. He practices full scope optometry with an emphasis on ocular disease management of the anterior segment, contact lenses and glaucoma. Dr. Brujic is on the editorial board for a number of optometric publications. He has published over 200 articles and has given over 1000 lectures, both nationally and internationally on contemporary topics in eye care. He is a member of the American Optometric Association and the American Academy of Optometry. Dr. Brujic practices in Bowling Green and owns Optometric Insights, a service providing career coaching to optometrists.

Disclosures: Dr. Brujic serves on the EyePromise Scientific Advisory Board and received honoraria and consulting fees from EyePromise.

Sources: Mulqueeny SP, Davis RL, Townsend WD, Koffler BH (2015) The ONIT Study-Ocular Nutrition Impact on Tear Film. Adv Ophthalmol Vis Syst 2(2): 00038. DOI: 10.15406/aovs.2015.02.00038