Eyeworld

47 EW CORNEA February 2017 to ophthalmologists to think about how diet and systemic health con- nect to the eye. Dr. Galor anticipates further research in this area and is eagerly anticipating results of the DREAM trial. For now, she recommends that patients try to eat foods rich in omega-3s; if that's not possible, they can use supplements. She also will emphasize the benefits of omega-3 consumption for overall health, not just in the eyes. "I can't tell them which formulations to use or the mechanism by which this works, but we're starting to understand the potential benefits of omega-3 supplementation for eye health," she said. EW References 1. Deinema LA, et al. A randomized, dou- ble-masked, placebo-controlled clinical trial of two forms of omega-3 supplements for treating dry eye disease. Ophthalmology. 2017;124:43–52. 2. Epitropoulos AT, et al. Effect of oral re-ester- ified omega-3 nutritional supplementation on dry eyes. Cornea. 2016;35:1185–1191. 3. Walter D, et al. Omega-3 tear film lipids cor- relate with clinical measures of dry eye. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2016;57:2472–2478. Editors' note: The physicians have no financial interests related to their comments. Contact information Asbell: penny.asbell@mssm.edu Downie: ldownie@unimelb.edu.au Galor: agalor@med.miami.edu Matossian: cmatossian@matossianeye.com continuous maintenance of a healthy tear film," she said. Drilling down to the tear film Anat Galor, MD, associate professor of clinical ophthalmology, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami, Miami, and fellow investi- gators took a closer look at tear film samples to measure the presence of omega-3 fatty acids. 3 The cross-sec- tional study included 41 patients with normal eyelid and corneal anatomy. Arachidonic acid, DHA, and EPA were found in more than 90% of tear film samples. "The ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids was correlated with multiple measures of tear film dysfunction," according to the study abstract. These measures included TBUT, Schirmer 2 scores, and corneal staining. Additionally, arachidonic acid- derived prostaglandin E2 was found in most of the samples and correlat- ed with low tear osmolarity, meibo- mian gland plugging, and corneal staining. Dr. Galor acknowledged that this was a small study, but she thinks there are still some implica- tions for dry eye and omega-3 re- search. "It's pretty exciting to think that what we're consuming can end up in our eyes. We're starting to see how these things that we take end up in the tear film," Dr. Galor said. These results point further to the connection between the gut and the eye—an emerging research field, Dr. Galor added. It's also a reminder © 2016 Stephens Instruments. All rights reserved. 800.354.7848 TOLL FREE IN THE USA | +1.859.259.4924 WORLD WIDE | stephensinst.com C E L E B R A T I N G 4 0 Y E A R S O F S E R V I C E T O T H E O P H T H A L M I C C O M M U N I T Y ISO 9001 ISO 13485 S9-2033 PRE- OPERATIVE ALIGNMENT MARKER For marking patient on gurney or at slit lamp prior to procedure Three fine marking points at 3, 6 and 9 o'clock for accurate reference Properly angled handled allows an unimposing approach to patient S9-2060 DEGREE GAUGE Intraoperative ring for aligning to steep axis and defining LRI points Large 11.7mm internal diameter provides for maximum visualization Crisp laser etched markings every 5° for greater marking accuracy S9-2065 TORIC IOL MARKER Works inside the degree gauge to mark prime meridian (steep axis) for LRIs and toric alignment Length of marks accommodates both limbal and corneal marking 4 0 Y E A R S O F Q U A L I T Y , S E R V I C E A N D V A L U E L I F E T I M E W A R R A N T Y Choose Stephens for better surgical outcomes. " I can't tell [patients] which formulations to use or the mechanism by which this works, but we're starting to understand the potential benefits of omega-3 supplementation for eye health. " –Anat Galor, MD

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