title: Oral Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation for Laser In Situ Keratomileusis-Associated Dry Eye.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effect of oral omega-3 fatty acid (ω3FA) supplementation in laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK)-associated dry eye.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this prospective, open-label study, patients undergoing LASIK were randomized to receive either 1.2 g/d of a triglyceride formulation of oral ω3FA (treatment group) or 400 mg/d vitamin E (control group) for 1 week before and continued for 12 weeks after surgery. Ocular surface disease index, tear breakup time, ocular surface staining, and Schirmer scores were evaluated and compared preoperatively and at 3 months after LASIK.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study included 30 patients in each group. All parameters were comparable at baseline. Ocular surface disease index scores increased comparably in both groups (1.9 ± 0.6 increase in the treatment group; 2.8 ± 0.5 in the control group) (P = 0.267). Compared with baseline levels, tear breakup time decreased significantly (P < 0.01) but comparably in both treatment (-2.3 ± 0.4 seconds decrease) and control (-3.5 ± 0.7 seconds decrease) groups (P = 0.105). More eyes in the control group (43.4%) had conjunctival staining with Lissamine green at 3 months compared with the treatment group (14%) (P = 0.009). The Schirmer score at 3 months was higher (P = 0.003) in the treatment group (30.5 ± 0.90 mm) than in the control group (25.7 ± 1.3 mm) with a increase of 5.9 ± 1.3 mm from baseline in the treatment group and a decrease of 1.5 ± 1.2 mm in the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Supplementation with ω3FA in patients undergoing LASIK had a positive influence on tear secretion, whereas tear film stability remained unaffected when compared with the control group.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Advanced Eye Centre, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Parul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Goyal
authors.forename: Arun K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Jain
authors.forename: Chintan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Malhotra
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D015352:Dry Eye Syndromes / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020731:Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ / Q000009:adverse effects*; D054018:Lasers, Excimer; D008297:Male; D009216:Myopia / Q000601:surgery; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013666:Tears / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D014810:Vitamin E