OMEGA-3 FATTY ACID SUPPLEMENTATION FOR USE IN TREATING DRY EYE

摘要

This invention relates to methods for treating dry eye and improving the quality of the meibum composition of inflamed or dysfunctional meibomian glands of a mammal, comprising the steps of administering a composition consisting essentially of an effective amount of omega-3 fatty acids on a daily dosage basis to the mammal having inflamed or dysfunctional meibomian glands, wherein the effective amount of omega-3 fatty acids comprises eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in an amount greater than 600 mg and in the re-esterified triglyceride form, and wherein the composition administered does not include any additional omega-6 fatty acids beyond the range normally found in the source material of the omega-3 fatty acids. The composition administered may facilitate an increase in levels of anti-inflammatory omega-3′s in the meibum composition of the treated meibomian glands of the mammal and a decrease in the levels of inflammatory omega-6′s in the meibum composition of the treated meibomian glands. The method of administering the composition of the present invention consisting essentially of omega-3 fatty acids may further comprise (1) the steps of taking a baseline measurement of tear break up time of the mammal prior to administering the composition and taking a second measurement of tear break up time of the treated mammal after administration of the composition to evaluate the improvement in tear break up time of the mammal as compared to the corresponding baseline measurement, (2) the steps of taking a baseline measurement of tear osmolarity of the mammal prior to administering the composition and taking a second measurement of tear osmolarity of the mammal after administration of the composition to evaluate the reduction of tear osmolarity of the mammal as compared to the corresponding baseline measurement and/or (3) the steps of taking a baseline measurement of the quality of tears of the mammal prior to administering the composition and taking a second measurement of the quality of tears of the mammal after administration of the composition to evaluate the improvement in the quality of tears of the mammal as compared to the corresponding baseline measurement.