Dry eye syndrome - Omega six makes worse omega three improves
 

I recall a number of people raising the subject of dry eyes.

Here is a link to a trial looking at omega three and six and dry eye syndrome called DES in this article.

And its linked to that constant subject inflammation.

RB

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/art...?artid=1360504

Abstract

"In the present study, women with a higher intake of n-3 FA appear to have a lower risk of DES. Further, a high ratio of n-6/n-3 FA is associated with increased risk of DES. This is the first report of such an association. In light of the plausibility of hypothesized biological mechanisms, these findings suggest that increasing dietary intake of n-3 FA may reduce the risk of DES, an important and prevalent cause of ocular complaints."



............"Dry eye syndrome (DES) is one of the most prevalent ocular conditions in the US and a frequent reason for seeking eye care (1). Ocular discomfort is the most prominent patient complaint (2). In addition, DES commonly leads to decreased functional visual acuity (3), and problems reading, using a computer, driving at night and carrying out professional work (4, 5).

Despite progress in determining the etiology and pathogenesis of DES, current knowledge remains inadequate and no preventive strategies have been found. Moreover, the most common therapy for DES, artificial tears, provides only temporary and incomplete symptomatic relief. Therefore, identification of modifiable risk factors for DES may suggest avenues for investigation of novel preventive and treatment measures.

Lacrimal gland, meibomian gland, and ocular surface inflammation play a significant role in DES (6, 7). Patients with DES have an increased concentration of inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin-1, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha, in the tear film (8). Research has shown that dietary intake of n-3 fatty acids (n-3 FA) and the ratio of their consumption in relation to n-6 (n-6 FA) intake affects the overall level of inflammatory activity in the body (9, 10). Anecdotal evidence has suggested a possible protective role of n-3 FA supplementation in treatment of DES (11, 12) but this has never been established in a systematic study. Both n-3 and n-6 FA are essential for human health and must be consumed directly in the diet. Therefore, we investigated the relationship of dietary intake of n-3 and its ratio to n-6 FA with DES in a large well-characterized population of women participating in the Women's Health Study (WHS)."