Dear Julie,
As we say goodbye to January, National Glaucoma Awareness Month, let’s take a look at a study involving Omega 3’s and IOP:
https://tvst.arvojournals.org/
In this study, 105 individuals 18 years of age and older were randomized to take one of the following: a krill oil supplement containing 945 mg/d of EPA and 510 mg/d of DHA, a fish oil supplement containing 1000 mg/d EPA and 500 mg/d DHA, a fish oil supplement containing 900 mg/d EPA and 600 mg/d DHA, an essential fatty acid supplement containing 900 mg/d EPA with 600 mg/d DHA and 900 mg/d ALA, or a placebo supplement containing 1500 mg/d of olive oil for three months. Intraocular pressure was measured at baseline and at the three month follow-up visit.
Results showed that omega-3 fatty acid supplementation significantly reduced intraocular pressure in adults consuming a Western diet. This is the first study that demonstrates that fish oil supplementation can modulate intraocular pressure in humans, which can reduce the need for topical IOP-lowering agents.
Incorporating more omega 3’s into the diets of our patients has far reaching benefits beyond that of dry eye therapy and retinal health.
Save the Date!