If you’ve ever been around the pharmacy in a supermarket, you have probably seen the aisles of nutrition supplements available.
These products claim to get a variety of benefits, but now we only want to focus on 2: flaxseed oil and fish oil, and what they can do to fight dry eye.
The Dangers Of Dry Eye
The tear film is the eye’s first line of defense against germs and irritants, trapping them so that they may be flushed off with each blink. Tears also help our eyes move smoothly. Tear production is somewhat complex, as there are three layers into the tear film that need to keep balanced. Whether total tear production decreases, the fatty layer is disrupted or the equilibrium is compromised, if something goes wrong, the result can be dry, itchy, irritated, and exposed eyes.
There are several things we all can do to treat dry eye, such as taking more breaks from looking at our screens, switching from contact lenses to eyeglasses, and using eye drops, but we could even incorporate more omega-3 fatty acids to our diets. Two sources of these are flaxseed oil and fish oil.
Flaxseed Oil
What makes flaxseed oil good for our eyes, is that it contains high levels of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an important omega-3. The digestion procedure converts it into two omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) that promote strong cell membranes throughout the body, including in the uterus.
Flaxseed oil nutritional supplements come in both liquid and capsule form, however, you can grind your flax seeds and scatter them over a salad or add them to a smoothie instead for the same omega-3 advantages. The capsules could be the most suitable, but it might have a large number of these to attain the desired dose.
Fish Oil
Flaxseed oil will probably be the better choice for vegetarians, however, it doesn’t supply as much EPA and DHA as fish oil. Our bodies just convert a small proportion of ALA from plant-based foods into these omega-3 fatty acids, but EPA and DHA are already present in fish oil, so we can get the full benefit without needing to break them down.
When fish oil capsules tend to leave a fishy flavor in your mouth, you might prefer to get your omega-3 benefits from yummy grilled fish instead! The ideal fish for EPA and DHA are salmon, tuna, halibut, and sable-fish.
Bring Us Your Omega-3 Along With Dry Eye Questions
As with all supplements and remedies, it is important to get professional medical advice before taking things into your own hands. What works for different people will not always get the job done for you, so give your optometrist a phone or schedule a consultation so we can ascertain whether flax-seed oil or fish oil is a good dry eye solution!
Your optometrist will be able to help you choose the best option for your eye health!