Abstract
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra virgin olive oil and nuts on dry eye parameters. The participants in this study were randomized into one of the two interventional arms: (1) a standard intervention group, a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra virgin olive oil and nuts; and (2) an intensive intervention group, based on a hypocaloric Mediterranean diet and an intensive lifestyle program with physical activity and weight-loss goals. In both groups, common dry eye tests were conducted at baseline and after six months: the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), the Dry Eye Scoring System (DESS), tear break-up time (TBUT), the Schirmer’s test, and the Oxford staining grade. Sixty-seven eyes were examined. After six months, dry eye parameters improved in both groups; differences between groups were favorable for the intensive intervention group. The implementation of a Mediterranean diet pattern was beneficial for the selected patients with dry eye, and could be beneficial for patients with dry eye in general. Behavioral support for diet adherence and the promotion of healthy lifestyles (exercise) and weight loss (calorie restriction) have an added positive effect.
Highlights
The management of dry eye syndrome (DES) can be a major concern for ophthalmologists, owing to its high prevalence and the difficulty of prescribing an appropriate and acceptable treatment for the patients
The Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) pattern contains naturally occurring fatty acids and other elements that we found in the oral supplements
Forty-two eyes corresponded to the intensive intervention group, and 25 to the standard intervention group
Summary
The management of dry eye syndrome (DES) can be a major concern for ophthalmologists, owing to its high prevalence and the difficulty of prescribing an appropriate and acceptable treatment for the patients. It represents 25% to 80% of all ophthalmological conditions and is usually an additional complaint that many patients refer to aside from their main ocular disease, producing an important impairment of quality of life [1,2]. Many patients are reluctant to apply artificial tears, and usually, a causal factor is not easy to identify [3] Another option for treatment is oral supplements containing free fatty acids that have shown the potential to improve symptoms and increase the quality of life of subjects with dry eye [4]. Their use is limited by their price or the inconvenience of taking pills several times a day
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