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Updated September 2023
(I-MED Pharma)
As the saying goes, “you are what you eat,” so who’s to say that what you eat can’t also help improve certain eye conditions, too? Now, it’s obvious that adding certain vitamin supplements can be great for overall health, but there are specific ones, namely Omega-3 fatty acids, that have been shown to help improve symptoms of dry eye. By incorporating the right supplements, along with simple and easy changes to your lifestyle, you can start to see a difference in mind, body & eyes.
Debunking Dry Eye
First, let’s start with debunking dry eye. It is estimated that over 30% of Canadians suffer from Dry Eye Disease, while 50% of people who walk into an optometrist’s office have dry eyes and may not even be aware. While women who are pregnant or in menopause are at a higher risk for dry eye, the cause of dry eye has widened in scope.[1] Due to an overall increase in screen time linked to playing fast-paced video games, watching movies, working on computers and more, we tend to blink less, affecting the quality and quantity of our tears.[2] This, in turn, has caused dry eye disease to become much more prevalent.
Dry eye is a multifactorial disease, making it incredibly complex by nature. There are two common types of dry eye. The first is aqueous deficient dry eye, which is an issue with the quantity of tears – meaning, the amount of tears being produced simply are not enough to coat the eye to ensure that it is properly moisturized. The second is evaporative dry eye, which is an issue with the quality of tears.
In the tear film, there are three layers that protect the surface of the eye; the mucin layer, the aqueous layer, and the lipid layer. An issue with any of these 3 layers of the tear film can result in tear instability and dry eyes. Understanding the tear film is essential to understanding the link between tear deficiency and dry eye symptoms.
The mucin layer is the inner most layer of the tear film which serves to maintain the hydration of the ocular surface and to provide lubrication and anti-adhesive properties between the cells of the ocular surface and conjunctiva during the blink.
The aqueous layer is the middle layer that provides oxygen and nutrients to the underlying avascular corneal tissue and flushes away epithelial debris, toxins and foreign bodies.
The lipid layer is the outer oily layer that helps reduce the evaporation of our natural tears. The majority of the lipids in this layer are secreted by the meibomian glands located at the lid margin.
Evaporative dry eye occurs when the meibomian glands becomes blocked or do not produce enough oil to coat the tears. If the tears are not properly coated, they evaporate, causing the eye to be insufficiently lubricated and moisturized.[3]
While there are many factors that can cause dry eye disease, it’s important to act quickly if something feels off. Make an appointment with your eye care professional as soon as possible to discuss any issues and symptoms you are experiencing.
So, what’s the secret ingredient for healthy eyes?
Contrary to popular belief, it’s a lot more than just carrots.
Omega-3 fatty acids can help reduce inflammation and help improve symptoms of dry eye. Studies show that when consuming the most important Omega-3s (EPA, DHA, & DPA) for a specified period of time, the meibomian glands improve functionality, thus decreasing the effects of dry eye.[4]
An Omega-3-rich diet can help ease the burning or stinging feeling associated with dry eyes, as they help soothe inflammation from the eyelids and on the surface of the eye, which can have a huge impact on your comfort level.[5] Besides helping to relieve irritation, Omega-3s can help improve oil production in the tear film. Omega-3s may benefit the function of your meibomian glands, which produce the oil necessary for preventing tear evaporation.[6] When these glands work more effectively, they help improve dry eye symptoms. [7]
For more information on the benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids, visit our Nutrition page.
Get The Quality You Deserve
More than just taking any Omega-3 supplement, it’s about taking the right Omega-3 supplement. Investing in a quality product makes all the difference. At I-MED Pharma, we’re passionate about offering mindful, long-lasting, and effective solutions to managing dry eye.
What’s different about our Omega-3 Supplements?
Not all Omega-3 supplements are created equally. It all starts with the right process. Our nutritional supplements provide the most important Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA, DHA, & DPA) in the re-esterified triglyceride form (rTG). This means that we have added an extra purification step to the process to ensure that our products are more effective and potent. This process involves removing the alcohol content from the synthetic alcohol-based Omega-3’s and converting it into the purified re-esterified triglyceride form. This additional purification step causes the bioavailability of Omega-3’s to be much higher than the ethyl ester form. The benefit to the patient is a higher percentage of fish oil is absorbed into the bloodstream and the supplements are easier to digest.
Most commercially available Omega-3 manufacturers do not perform this additional re-esterification step, leading to unpurified, synthetic formulations. We make sure to perform this extra step to provide you with the purest, most effective form of Omega-3s.
Go the Supplement Route to get your daily recommended Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Taking a supplement can be easy and effective, but it’s important to stick with it to see the results. Our nutritional supplements are available in both capsule and liquid formats and are formulated specifically with dry eye patients in mind.
I-VU® OMEGA-3 PLUS – Capsules – Now also available in our new 30-day supply, along with our existing 60-day supply.
I-VU® OMEGA-3 PLUS provides patients with 1824 mg of the most important Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA, DHA & DPA) per daily dose. I-VU® OMEGA-3 PLUS is manufactured using organic ingredients that haven’t been genetically modified (GMO-free). It is easy to swallow and digest and is flavor-free.
For adults over 18 years of age, take 2 soft gels daily, the recommended daily dose of omega 3 for dry eyes.
I-VU® OMEGA-3 – Liquid
I-VU® OMEGA-3 provides patients with a daily dose of 2340 mg of essential Omega-3s (EPA, DHA & DPA), as well as the added nutritional benefits of vitamin D3, and gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). I-VU® OMEGA-3 is also easy to digest and has a great lemon flavor!
For adults over 18 years of age, take one teaspoon of omega-3 liquid daily, which provides the following advantages:
Patients can now try our omega-3 supplements for dry eye risk free!*
Get more out of our supply! Our capsule omega-3 supplement has a recommended daily dosage of only two capsules a day. Plus, our liquid omega-3 supplement’s bottle is 20% bigger compared to most on the market, with a recommended daily intake of only one teaspoon a day!
*Patients who are not completely satisfied after consuming the recommended daily dose of I-VU® OMEGA-3 for 90 days will get their money back.
Proof of purchase for a 90-day supply of product is required and the refund must be requested within 120 days of purchase.
How To Fit More Omega-3s Into Your Daily Diet
There are many ways to sneak in Omega-3s into your diet. Developing the right habits can have a noticeable impact not only on your eye health, but also on your mind and body. Here are some helpful ideas of how you can incorporate more Omega-3s into your life.
Recipes to roll with
Vinaigrettes
If you don’t love the idea of swallowing a spoonful of liquid Omega-3s, why not add it to your salad dressing? Its lemon-flavor makes it the perfect zesty touch to add to a hearty salad with a fresh vinaigrette. Or glaze it on a piece of salmon, chicken, or anything that you’d like to add a little hint of flavor to. You can even add a drizzle on some freshly steamed veggies! No matter your dietary needs, there’s always a way to sneak some Omega-3s in.
Smoothies
All smoothie lovers out there will be happy to hear that our Omega-3 liquid form goes perfectly in a smoothie. Go ahead and opt for a blueberry smoothie where the lemon from the liquid will complement perfectly or go all out for a lemon-infused smoothie.
I-MED Pharma’s Mission
At I-MED Pharma, our mission is to bring complete relief to dry eye and ocular surface disease patients worldwide. No matter which I-MED Pharma I-VU® Omega-3 product you choose, these supplements provide high-quality, nutritionally concentrated nutrients that meet dietary and health needs and help relieve dry eye disease symptoms in adults.
Eye health is our priority. To learn more about dry eye disease and the products that can help you manage your symptoms, contact an eye care professional that carries our products. Find a dry eye clinic in your area.
SEE THE DIFFERENCE with I-MED Pharma!
[1] Matossian, Cynthia et al. “Dry Eye Disease: Consideration for Women’s Health.” Journal of women’s health (2002) vol. 28,4 (2019): 502-514. doi:10.1089/jwh.2018.7041
[2] Chidi-Egboka, N.C., Jalbert, I. & Golebiowski, B. “Smartphone gaming induces dry eye symptoms and reduces blinking in school-aged children.” Eye (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41433-022-02122-2
[3] Boyd, K. “What is Dry Eye? symptoms, causes and treatment.” American Academy of Ophthalmology. (2022) https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/what-is-dry-eye
[4] Epitropoulos AT, Donnenfeld ED, Shah ZA, Holland EJ, Gross M, Faulkner WJ, Matossian C, Lane SS, Toyos M, Bucci FA Jr, Perry HD. “Effect of Oral Re-esterified Omega-3 Nutritional Supplementation on Dry Eyes.” Cornea. 2016 Sep;35(9):1185-91. doi: 10.1097/ICO.0000000000000940. PMID: 27442314; PMCID: PMC4975557. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4975557/
[5] Ellis- Reiff, R. “Vitamins for dry eyes: How food and supplements help dry eye.” WebMD. (2021) https://www.webmd.com/eye-health/dry-eye-change-diet
[6] Vimont, C. The benefits of fish oil for Dry Eye.” American Academy of Ophthalmology. (2020) https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/does-fish-oil-help-dry-eye
[7] Vimont, C. The benefits of fish oil for Dry Eye.” American Academy of Ophthalmology. (2020) https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/does-fish-oil-help-dry-eye