Dry eyes are a very common problem in women over the age of fifty. Almost one in three women in this age group experience the symptoms of dry eyes which include chronic eye redness, burning, sensitivity to light, and a feeling of grittiness in the eye. The standard treatment for dry eyes is artificial tears and, in severe cases, an expensive prescription eyedrop called Restasis which helps the eye produce the tears it’s deficient in. What about natural treatments? Is there a natural remedy for dry eyes?
A Natural Remedy for Dry Eyes?
A new study in the Journal of Nutrition shows that sea buckthorn oil may be effective for treating dry eyes. When researchers gave eighty-six young and middle-aged people with dry eye either two grams of sea buckthorn oil or a placebo for ninety days, the group receiving the sea buckthorn oil for dry eyes fared better with fewer symptoms of dry eyes compared to the placebo group.
Dry eyes can occur for several different reasons. In some cases, a dry eye sufferer doesn’t make enough tears to keep the eye moist. In other cases, enough tears are produced, but they dry up too quickly. Both can lead to the classic symptoms of dry eyes which, in mild cases, may be more of a nuisance than a threat. In more severe cases, the cornea can become eroded and scarring can occur which reduces the ability to see. The participants in this study who used sea buckthorn oil for dry eyes experienced less loss of water from the eye due to evaporation – and fewer dry eye symptoms.
Sea Buckthorn for Dry Eyes: How Does It Work?
Sea buckthorn oil is a good source of two essential fatty acids, linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid. Researchers believe it’s the anti-inflammatory properties of the alpha-linolenic acid in sea buckthorn oil that reduces the symptoms of dry eye in people who use it. It’s also a good source of antioxidants which help to protect the surface of the eye from damage.
Another Natural Remedy for Dry Eyes
Omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fish and fish oil may also be beneficial for relieving dry eyes. Like sea buckthorn oil, omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory benefits which help to reduce the ocular inflammation, burning, and redness associated with dry eyes. Flaxseed oil has also shown benefits for dry eyes in people who suffer with Sjogren’s syndrome – an autoimmune disease that causes severe dry mouth and eyes.
Natural Remedies for Dry Eyes: The Bottom Line?
Sea buckthorn oil is safe and well tolerated by most people and is available in many health food stores. Is sea buckthorn oil better for relieving dry eyes than omega-3’s and flaxseed oil? There’s ongoing research looking at the effectiveness of all three of these natural remedies for dry eyes – and preliminary results look promising. It’s likely that any one of these three dry eye treatments will provide some benefits. Ask your doctor which is best for you.
References:
http://www.nutraingredients.com/content/view/print/309538
