Attendees at this year’s AOA meeting participated in a quick game of $1 or Mystery Box! Participants answered a question about dry eye disease and nutrition.
Dry eye is a multifactorial disease characterized by a loss of homeostasis in the tear film and ocular surface, leading to tear film instability, hyperosmolarity, inflammation, and epithelial damage known as the “vicious circle of DED,” along with neurosensory abnormalities.1,2 Diagnosis requires both symptoms and at least one key sign of this imbalance.1
The Science of Dry Eye
Nutrition and Inflammation
Key Nutrients for Ocular Health
Blink NutriTears Spotlight
Recent evidence suggests that antioxidants and vitamins can help manage DED. Blink® NutriTears® contains ingredients that include curcumin, lutein, zeaxanthin, and vitamin D. A recent study found that it reduced ocular symptoms and improved tear production, as measured by Schirmer's test.3 Additionally, it was shown to help tears remain on the eyes for 33% longer.4
Oral vitamin D supplementation has shown significant improvements in tear production, stability, and quality by reducing ocular surface damage and inflammatory markers. Curcumin, a polyphenol from Curcuma longa, exhibits antioxidative properties by scavenging reactive nitrogen and oxygen species and has anti-inflammatory effects. In vitro studies indicate that curcumin can counter hyperosmolarity-induced IL-1β upregulation in corneal epithelial cells.2
Lutein and zeaxanthin are carotenoid pigments concentrated in the human macula. Lutein exhibits antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, protecting the retina from photo-oxidative damage and inflammation induced by blue light exposure.4
Additionally, diets with a high omega-6 to omega-3 ratio are pro-inflammatory and increase the risk of dry eye disease (DED) symptoms due to elevated pro-inflammatory mediators. In a study, omega-3 supplementation improved the signs and symptoms of meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD)-related DED, significantly enhancing the quality and expressibility of meibomian glands in participants with more severe MGD.2
