6 Effective Dry-Eye Treatment Options

Omega-3’s

Best for: People who don’t like drops.

How they work: Omega-3 fatty acids may help reduce inflammation that can contribute to dry-eye syndrome (DES), a common condition that’s easily diagnosed by an eye doctor. A 2005 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, led by investigators at Harvard Medical School, found that women who consumed the highest levels of omega-3’s in their diet had a 34 percent lower risk for DES than did others. And a 2010 study at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas showed that people who took a daily omega-3 fish-oil supplement that contained 450 milligrams of the fatty acid EPA and 300 milligrams of DHA, plus 1,000 milligrams of flaxseed oil, produced more tears.

How to use them: Add a few servings of fatty fish, such as salmon, to your weekly diet, or talk to your doctor about taking daily fish-oil and flaxseed supplements. Take omega-3 supplements with food, as they can cause stomach upset.