antioxidants and dry eye

[wetEyes]

Hello Dr. Lange,
it seems to me that antioxidants are not yet widely considered helpful for dry eye and that little research has been done so far on this topic.

1) Do you think antioxidants are effective for dry eye?
2) Why, in your opinion, have antioxidants not received more attention as a potential dry eye treatment?
3) Which studies do you know that have examined oral antioxidants for dry eye?

I found only the following:

Oral antioxidant therapy for marginal dry eye (2001)
http://www.nature.com/ejcn/journal/v.../1601186a.html

Antioxidants intake and dry eye syndrome: a crossover, placebo-controlled, randomized trial (2009)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19396775

[Michael Lange OD]

Great question, and sorry for the delay in answering. Once again been involved in a lot of research with nutrition. I am actually flying to Norway and sweden in the next day or two for some omega three research using triglyceride based fish oil like what Fortifeye Super Omega has in it but also meeting with the only squid oil factory in the world. I am still searching for the most bioavailable form of omega-3!! Proper nutrtion is extremely important in regards to dry eye syndrome. I have just finsished writing an articel on The omega-3 and omega-6 metabolic pathways and how these essential fatty acids are important in dry eyes. This articel will be available for the public to read in about two weeks. There is a large inbalance in omega -6 to omega-3 in western societies. This inbalance or too much omega 6 is creating inflamation in our bodies. There are of course other things that add to this inflammation and it isnt strictly diet but for the sake of this converstion it is. Omega 6 is in everything we eat, the vegetable oils, the corn fed beef, the candy and cookies etc... This omega-6 increases the production of arrachidonic acid that leads to proinflammatory prostaglandin PGE2 and proinflammtory leukotrienes. If you consume more Omega three oils form triglycerided based omega three , u will need a minimum of almost 900 epa and 600 dha to help and maybe twice as much to get started for the first two months. Fortifeye super omega is the fish oil i formulated for this particular reason. This increased amount of omega three will actually help to block the delta five desaturase enzyme that is responsible for the inflammatory cascade of arrachidonic acid! Rememeber inflammation is one of the root causes of dry eyes. More omega three will also stimulate the series three prostaglandins (pge3) that is also anti inflammatory! If you take a good multivitamin that has enough b3, b6, magnesium, vitmin c and zinc then the sytem that god gave you will work to its fullest potential and help in the conversion of Linoleic Acid (omega 6) to GLA instead of to the inflammatory prostaglandins, this conversion to GLA will ultimatley allow for a conversion to DGLA and the end product a good Prostaglandin series 1 , PGE1. this PGE! is anti inflammtory and one of the benefits is increased tear production. WOW!! a lot to throw at you. Now i have been doing some considerable research over the last year in theis department and my thoughts have changes a little on other nutrients for dry eyes! I used to think some of the natural cox inhibitors like ginger, curcummin, whilte willow bark, tocotrienols, nettles etc.... were useful for dry eyes but i am changing my tune. The problem with these natural anti inflammatories are they are good for short periods of time, they act like a drug and for acute onsets of inflammation i think they are ok if recommended by a doctor, however they not only block the bad PGe2 they also block the good PGE3? So long term use of these may cause potential harm and negate some of the benefits of omega three fish oil or plant sources of omega three. You have heard about the bad effects of Viox and clebrex, both cox 2 inhibitors!! So i thin omega three fish oil is one of the best ways to help dry eyes and lastly one other nutrient will aid in dry eye releif. GLA found in black currnat seed oil, borage oil and evening primrose oil s one of the best and only ways to stimulate the good PGE1. Always take GLA with fish oil and use a relatively low carb diet since fluctuating insulin can interfere with GLA converson to PGE1 . So i have changed my tune a bit but this is my most recent thinking. You will see this in a new product by mid summer. The Fortifeye Dry Eye Extreme will be the name and it has taken so long to develop because i have constantly changed the formula based on research. The combination of highly purified omega three and GLA will enable to body to work to its fullest potential at decreasing inflammation and helping with dry eyes and total body health without interfering with the natural enzymatic process in the metabloic pathway of prostaglandins. give it three to four months combined with adequate sleep, hydration and exercise adn you will be surprised. Hope this didnt bore you. Dr. Mike lange
www.langeeyecare.com
www.fortifeye.com