Researchers in Taiwan conducted a randomized controlled trial on 52 ophthalmology patients. Their results indicated the supplement’s beneficial effects and revealed potential mechanisms implicated in dry-eye syndrome (DES).
“These findings support the potential of targeted nutritional supplementation as a safe and effective strategy for alleviating DES symptoms, offering an alternative to conventional treatments that exclusively focus on symptom management,” they wrote in Antioxidants.
Dry eye syndrome
Dry eye syndrome affects between 10% and 30% of Europeans, causing symptoms of discomfort and visual impairment. Experts explain that DES happens when the eyes do not make enough tears to stay wet or when the tears do not work correctly.
People over the age of 50, women with hormonal changes such as pregnancy or menopause, those who look at screens for long periods and contact lens wearers may be more at risk.
The current study noted that inflammation is a key mechanism underlying DES. People with the condition may develop an adaptive immune response resulting in “decreased lacrimal secretion and associated ocular surface discomfort.”
Beneficial nutrients
Recent research highlights the influence of diet, suggesting that certain nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, protein and vitamins A, C and E are associated with a lower risk of DES.
These nutrients help to address the inflammation and oxidative stress associated with the condition.
Lutein and zeaxanthin are acknowledged to be beneficial for eye health, helping to absorb blue light and protecting the retina from damage. Their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties may help to regulate the immune response, and previous studies suggest they improve tear production.
Study details
Researchers randomly assigned 52 participants between the ages of 20 and 80 with moderate or severe DES to take a supplement containing 45 mg/day EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), 30 mg/day DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), 30 mg/day lutein and 1.8 mg/day zeaxanthin or placebo for 12 weeks. Participants maintained their usual diet throughout the study.
Assessments included Schirmer’s test and the ocular surface disease index (OSDI), blood or tear oxidative stress, antioxidant capacities and tear inflammatory indicators.
The results showed a significant increase in tear secretion and a reduction in OSDI scores in participants taking the supplement. Inflammatory markers, such as interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8, were also decreased in this group.
“After 12-week supplementation, the supplement group displayed a significant OSDI decrease of 6.6 points compared with the control group, corroborating the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of fish oil, lutein and zeaxanthin,” the researchers wrote.
They also noted that antioxidant capacity and oxidative stress were both reduced in the control group.
“This paradoxical observation may reflect the complex role oxidative stress plays in the clinical progression of DES,” they wrote. “The increase in oxidative stress could lead to the depletion of antioxidant defenses, as the body attempts to counteract the damaging effects of oxidative stress.
“Such depletion may represent an adaptive response to chronic oxidative stress, where cellular protective mechanisms engage antioxidants to neutralize harmful free radicals.”
Source: Antioxidants 2025, 14(1), 103. doi: 10.3390/antiox14010103. “Multicomponent Dietary Supplementation: Impact on Tear Secretion and Ocular Surface Inflammation in Dry Eye Syndrome Patients”. Authors: S-C. Huang et al.