Dry Eye Syndrome Research Paper

Dry eye syndrome (DES) is one of the most common types of ocular diseases seen in daily practice and has been recently considered as a major problem in public health. It is a disorder of the tear film layer due to tear deficiency or rapid tear evaporation resulting in symptoms of ocular discomfort. Currently, there is a need to find the most simple and efficient way to treat dry eyes. Artificial tears are the most common types of agents used in treating dry eyes, but it may not be the most effective. Various treatments such as warm compresses or punctal plugs can also be used to help relieve dry eye symptoms. There is increasing evidence that oral supplementation such as omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, and antioxidants can be an effective treatment.

This 12-week study consisted of 1,419 patients that used artificial tears to treat their dry eye syndrome. Evidence showed that dry eye symptoms (such as scratchy sensation, red eyes, grittiness, etc.) improved significantly (P<0.001) after 12 weeks of dietary supplementation based on omega-3 fatty acids (3 capsules per day). For example, Schirmer Test Scores improved from around 9mm to 11mm (P<0.001) and Tear Break-Up Time (TBUT) improved from about 7 seconds to 10 seconds (P<0.001). Furthermore, patients reduced the use of daily drops artificial tears from 3.77 to 3.45 (P<0.01). This prospective study was able to analyze multiple outcomes at once. It was reliable due to the fact that it had a large sample size of 1,419 patients and data was gathered in daily clinical practice. Each dry eye symptom as well as the Schirmer test scores and the TBUT improved significantly with P<0.001, suggesting high statistical significance. However, the study is unable to determine causation because it lacked a placebo, did not have a control group, and the treatment period only lasted 12 weeks. Since it was a prospective study, there may also be bias due to loss of follow

The results of 32, 470 participants showed that women who consume high amounts of omega-3 (5-6 servings of tuna/week) have a lower prevalence (OR=0.32 (CI=0.13-0.79)) of dry eyes compared to women who consumed only low amounts of omega-3 ( 1 servings of tuna/week). The odds ratio suggests that there was a 68% reduction in dry eyes in women who took a higher dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids. Although there was a large sample size, this questionnaire-based, retrospective study has room for error since it relied on subjective findings instead of objective one. Other weaknesses of the study include recall bias and inability to control for confounds that could possibly explain the differences between the two