The best supplements for Dry Eyes are listed below:
- Vitamins A, B6, B9, B12, C, D, and E
- Plant compounds like Zeaxanthin and Lutein
- Minerals like Zinc and Copper
- Artificial tears
- Fatty Acids Omega-3 and Omega-6
- Red Clover Extract
- Sea Buckthorn
- Trehalose
On the video below, Dr. Edward Kim tells us some nutritional supplements that can help dry eyes.
What are some Natural Supplements for Dry Eyes?
Omega 3
- Fatty Fish (trout, salmon, tuna, sardines, mackerel, cod, fish oil)
- Nuts and seeds (flaxseed, chia, walnuts, cashews, peanuts)
- Vegetable oil (soybean, palm, safflower, linseed, walnut, rapeseed)
- Green, leafy vegetables
- Meat (pork, liver, lard)
- Eggs and cheese
Zeaxanthin and Lutein
- Kale
- Broccoli
- Spinach
- Collards
Vitamin A
- Carrots
- Pumpkins
- Apricots
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
- Dairy products
- Liver
Vitamin B
- Dairy products
- Whole-grain products
- Broccoli
- Avocado
Vitamin B6
- Salmon
- Sardines
- Mackerel
- Goose
- Potatoes
- Kale
Vitamin C
- Orange juice
- Grapefruit juice
- Oranges
- Cooked spinach
- Tomatoes
- Bananas
- Apples
- Kale
- Collards
- Spinach
Vitamin E
- Wheat cereal (wheat germ)
- Almonds
- Sunflower seeds
- Peanut butter
- Hazelnuts
- Sweet potato
Zinc
- Oysters
- Beef
- Lobster
- Pork
- Yogurt
- Salmon
- Milk
- Fortified cereals
- Eggs
- Beans
Can Trehalose Eye Drops help with Dry Eyes?
Trehalose Eye Drops first started to be used in the early 2000s for treating patients with moderate to severe Dry Eyes. It is a natural alpha-linked disaccharide with high water retention capabilities.
Tear Film Protection
- Rehabilitates tear film
- Prolongs tear film breakup time
- Restores the three main layers of the tear film (mucin, aqueous, and lipid)
- Maintains normal quality and quantity of tear film
Desiccation Prevention
- It helps to withstand long periods of desiccation (anhydrobiosis)
- Prevents the death of corneal cells from desiccation
- Reduces the amount of dead cells on the eye’s surface from desiccation
- Promotes cellular membrane function
- Interacts directly with nucleic acids
- It strengthens cell membranes and prevents the protein shape alteration in the absence of water
Study Information
- Title: Trehalose eye drops in the treatment of dry eye syndrome.
- Length: 4 weeks.
Subject Information
- Number of Subjects: 34 patients with moderate to severe dry eye syndrome..
Method used
The patients used either 100 or 200 mM trehalose dissolved in saline six times daily in one eye and control saline in the other eye for 4 weeks.
Results
- Fluorescein and rose bengal staining scores of the ocular surface improved at both 2 weeks and 4 weeks in the eyes with 100 and 200 mM trehalose, compared with eyes with control saline
- Tear film breakup time became significantly longer at 2 weeks and 4 weeks with 100 mM trehalose, but not with 200 mM trehalose.
- No adverse effect attributable to trehalose solution was noted.
Conclusions
Trehalose solution was an effective and safe eyedrop for the treatment of moderate to severe dry eye syndrome in this group of patients.
Can you use Sea Buckthorn oil for Dry Eyes?
Sea Buckthorn oil has proanthocyanidins which protect eye structures and help Dry Eyes symptoms.
- It reduces water evaporation from the eye
- It reduces high tear film osmolarity (increases tear production)
- It lowers the intensity of redness and burning
- It may have a positive effect on inflammation
Don’t put Sea Buckthorn oil directly into the eye because it may cause irritation. It should be taken orally.
Study Information
- Title: Effects of oral sea buckthorn oil on tear film Fatty acids in individuals with dry eye.
- Length: 28.
Subject Information
- Number of Subjects: 100 participants were randomized to this study, which 86 of them completed.
Method used
The participants daily consumed 2 g of SB or placebo oil for 3 months. Tear film samples were collected at the beginning, during, and at the end of the intervention and 1 to 2 months later.
Results
There were no group differences in the changes in fatty acid proportions during the intervention.
Conclusions
The results indicate that the positive effects of SB oil on dry eye are not mediated through direct effects on the tear film fatty acids. Carotenoids and tocopherols in the oil or eicosanoids produced from the fatty acids of the oil may have a positive effect on inflammation and differentiation of the meibomian gland cells.
What are some Essential Oils for Dry Eyes?
Essential oils are concentrated substances that might have benefits for dry eyes. Thee oils can be diffused into the air or applied in the eyelid skin. Don’t put undiluted essentials oils directly in or around the eye.
- Tea Tree: it has antibacterial, antiseptic, and antiviral properties which can kill microorganisms like demodex eyelash mites that could cause dry eyes. Before applying it on the face, you can dilute in a carrier oil such as fractionated coconut oil.
- Peppermint: it can act as an air purifier. Put 3 or 4 drops mixed with water in a diffuser and let it run. This can add moisture to the air, which will slow down the evaporation of tears from your eyes.
- Virgin Coconut Oil: A study on rabbits found that Virgin Coconut Oil helped with dry eyes. Soak a cotton ball in virgin coconut oil and place it over your closed eyelid for about 10 to 15 minutes, to keep your eyes moister.
Can too much Vitamin D cause Dry Eyes?
Too much Vitamin D (over 200 ng/mL) can lead to excess calcium in the blood, which reduces antidiuretic hormones. This reduction causes the kidneys to retain less urine, leading to frequent urination and dehydration. Symptoms of dehydration due to too much Vitamin D include:
- Dry Eyes
- Sunken Eyes
- Decreased tear production
Want to know more?
Click the links below to access the individual topic pages:
Sources
This article makes use of information from the U.S. National Library of Medicine under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
- Ren X, Chou Y, Jiang X, et al. Effects of Oral Vitamin B1 and Mecobalamin on Dry Eye Disease. J Ophthalmol. 2020;2020:9539674. Published 2020 Sep 9. doi:10.1155/2020/9539674
- Mutalib HA, Kaur S, Ghazali AR, Chinn Hooi N, Safie NH. A pilot study: the efficacy of virgin coconut oil as ocular rewetting agent on rabbit eyes. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2015;2015:135987. doi:10.1155/2015/135987
- Matsuo T. Trehalose protects corneal epithelial cells from death by drying. Br J Ophthalmol. 2001 May;85(5):610-2. doi: 10.1136/bjo.85.5.610. PMID: 11316726; PMCID: PMC1723954.
- Matsuo T, Tsuchida Y, Morimoto N. Trehalose eye drops in the treatment of dry eye syndrome. Ophthalmology. 2002 Nov;109(11):2024-9. doi: 10.1016/s0161-6420(02)01219-8. PMID: 12414409.
- Järvinen RL, Larmo PS, Setälä NL, Yang B, Engblom JR, Viitanen MH, Kallio HP. Effects of oral sea buckthorn oil on tear film Fatty acids in individuals with dry eye. Cornea. 2011 Sep;30(9):1013-9. doi: 10.1097/ICO.0b013e3182035ad9. PMID: 21832964.
- Fariselli C, Giannaccare G, Fresina M, Versura P. Trehalose/hyaluronate eyedrop effects on ocular surface inflammatory markers and mucin expression in dry eye patients. Clin Ophthalmol. 2018;12:1293-1300. Published 2018 Jul 20. doi:10.2147/OPTH.S174290
