Several studies suggest omega-3 fatty acids may help protect adult eyes from macular degeneration and dry eye syndrome. Essential fatty acids also may help proper drainage of intraocular fluid from the eye, decreasing the risk of high eye pressure and glaucoma.
In a large European study published in 2008, participants who ate oily fish (an excellent source of DHA and EPA omega-3 fatty acids) at least once per week had half the risk of developing neovascular (“wet”) macular degeneration, compared with those who ate fish less than once per week.
Also, a 2009 National Eye Institute (NEI) study that used data obtained from the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) found participants who reported the highest level of omega-3 fatty acids in their diet were 30 percent less likely than their peers to develop macular degeneration during a 12-year period.
In May 2013, the NEI published results of a large follow-up to the original AREDS study called AREDS2. Among other things, AREDS2 investigated whether daily supplementation of omega-3 fatty acids, along with the original AREDS nutritional supplement or modifications of that formula — which contained beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc and copper — would further reduce the risk of AMD progression among study participants with early signs of macular degeneration. (The original AREDS supplement reduced the risk of AMD progression by 25 percent among a similar population.)
A somewhat surprising result of AREDS2 was that participants who supplemented their diet with 1,000 mg of omega-3s daily (350 mg DHA and 650 mg EPA) did not show any reduction of their risk for progressive AMD over the five-year duration of the study, compared with participants who did not receive omega-3 supplements.
Adequate amounts of DHA and other omega-3 fatty acids in the diet of pregnant women may be important in normal infant vision development.
A possible explanation for these different findings from AREDS and AREDS2 data may be that omega-3 fatty acids are more effective at reducing the risk of age-related eye diseases when obtained via food sources rather than from nutritional supplements. Also, a healthy diet containing plenty of omega-3s along with other important nutrients consumed over a person’s lifetime is likely more protective than taking nutritional supplements for a five-year period.
Omega-3 fatty acids also have been found to reduce the risk of dry eyes. In a study of more than 32,000 women between the ages of 45 and 84, those with the highest ratio of (potentially harmful) omega-6 fatty acids to beneficial omega-3 fatty acids in their diet (15-to-1) had a significantly greater risk of dry eye syndrome, compared with the women with the lowest ratio (less than 4-to-1). The study also found that the women who ate at least two servings of tuna per week had significantly less risk of dry eye than women who ate one or fewer servings per week.
Omega-3 fatty acids also may help treat dry eyes. In a recent study of dry eyes induced in mice, topical application of the omega-3 fatty acid ALA led to a significant decrease in dry eye signs and inflammation associated with dry eye.
Omega-3 Foods
While both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are important to health, the balance of these two types of EFAs in our diet is extremely important. Most experts believe the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids in a healthy diet should be 4-to-1 or lower.
Unfortunately, the typical American diet, characterized by significant amounts of meat and processed foods, tends to contain 10 to 30 times more omega-6 than omega-3 fatty acids. This imbalance of omega-6 (“bad”) fatty acids to omega-3 (“good”) fatty acids appears to be a contributing cause of a number of serious health problems, including heart disease, cancer, asthma, arthritis and depression.
Many eye doctors recommend a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids to reduce the risk of eye problems.
One of the best steps you can take to improve your diet is to eat more foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and fewer that are high in omega-6 fatty acids.
The best food sources of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids are cold-water fish, which are high in both DHA and EPA. Examples include sardines, herring, salmon and tuna. Wild-caught varieties usually are better than “farmed” fish, which typically are subject to higher levels of pollutants and chemicals.
The American Heart Association recommends a minimum of two servings of cold-water fish weekly to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, and many eye doctors likewise recommend a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids to reduce the risk of eye problems.
If you aren’t a fish lover, another way to make sure your diet contains enough omega-3s it to take fish oil supplements. These are available in capsule and liquid form, and many varieties feature a “non-fishy” taste.
Other good sources of omega-3 fatty acids include flaxseeds, flaxseed oil, walnuts and dark green leafy vegetables. However, your body cannot process the ALA omega-3 fatty acids from these vegetarian sources as easily as the DHA and EPA omega-3 fatty acids found in fish.
To reduce your intake of omega-6s, avoid fried and highly processed foods. Many cooking oils, including sunflower oil and corn oil, are very high in omega-6 fatty acids. High cooking temperatures also create harmful trans-fatty acids, or “trans-fats.”
Trans fats interfere with the body’s absorption of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids and may contribute to a number of serious diseases, including cancer, heart disease, atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, arthritis and immune system disorders.
Currently, there is no Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for omega-3 fatty acids. But, according to the American Heart Association, research suggests daily intakes of DHA and EPA (combined) ranging from 500 milligrams (0.5 gram) to 1.8 grams (either from fish or fish oil supplements) significantly reduces cardiac risks. For ALA, daily intakes of 1.5 to 3 grams (g) seem to be beneficial.
FOODS CONTAINING OMEGA-3 ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS
Food
DHA and EPA Omega-3s (total), grams
Salmon, Atlantic (half fillet, grilled)
3.89
Mackerel, Pacific (1 fillet, grilled)
3.25
Sardine oil (1 tablespoon)
2.83
Salmon, Chinook (half fillet, grilled)
2.68
Cod liver oil (1 tablespoon)
2.43
Salmon, pink (half fillet, grilled)
1.60
Herring oil (1 tablespoon)
1.43
Sardines, canned in oil (approx. 3 ounces)
0.90
White tuna, canned in water (approx. 3 ounces)
0.73
Source: National Agriculture Library, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture
For a more nutritious diet and potentially better eye health, try these simple changes:
1 Replace cooking oils that are high in omega-6 fatty acids with olive oil, which has significantly lower levels of omega-6 fatty acids.
2 Eat plenty of fish, fruits and vegetables.
3 Avoid hydrogenated oils (found in many snack foods) and margarine.
4 Avoid fried foods and foods containing trans fats.
5 Limit your consumption of red meat.
Choosing a healthy diet that includes a variety of foods with plenty of omega-3 fatty acids and limiting your intake of potentially harmful omega-6 fatty acids will significantly increase your odds of a lifetime of good vision and vibrant health.
Omega-3 Supplements Relieve Dry Eye Symptoms Among Computer Users, Study Finds
February 2015 — Taking daily omega-3 fatty acid supplements could help relieve your dry eyes associated with computer use, according to a study.
The study participants were 456 computer users in India who complained of dry eyes and who used a computer for more than three hours a day for at least one year.
Subjects in one group (220) were given two capsules of omega-3 fatty acids, each containing 180mg EPA and 120mg DHA, to supplement their daily diet; subjects in the other group (236) were given two capsules of a placebo containing olive oil for daily use. Each group took the daily supplements for three months.
At the end of the three-month trial, a survey of the participants revealed dry eye symptoms diminished after dietary intervention with omega-3 fatty acids, and use of the omega-3 supplements also reduced abnormal tear evaporation. The omega-3 supplements also increased the density of conjunctival goblet cells on the surface of the eye. These cells secrete substances that lubricate the eye during blinks, stabilize the tear film and reduce dryness.
The study authors concluded that orally administered omega-3 fatty acid supplements can alleviate dry eye symptoms, slow tear evaporation, and improve signs of a healthy eye surface in patients suffering from dry eyes related to computer vision syndrome.
A report of this study was published online this month by the journal Contact Lens & Anterior Eye. — G.H.
About the Author: Gary Heiting, OD, is senior editor of AllAboutVision.com. Dr. Heiting has more than 25 years of experience as an eye care provider, health educator and consultant to the eyewear industry. His special interests include contact lenses, nutrition and preventive vision care. Connect with Dr. Heiting via Google+.
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