Dry Eye

These are not supplements. Most need a prescription, and some are research compounds with no approved use. They are listed so the supplement evidence above can be read against them.

Automated reading of the published studies (Decosa evidence engine), for outcomes Dr. Grey has not graded yet. It is not a Dr. Grey grade and does not change one. How it is read

• Fish Oil: dry eye

  The studies disagree. A Cochrane review (2019, 34 studies, 4,314 people) did not settle it for dry eye, while 6 of the 10 studies read found an improvement. The evidence is very weak.

  10 studies counted of 11 read: 6 reviews and 4 trials (1,144 people in the trials).

  1. Meta-analysis, 2019; 34 studies, 4,314 people; adults with dry eye disease: unclear: evidence too weak to tell (the review the verdict rests on). little to no reduction in dry eye symptoms Omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids for dry eye diseasePubMed 31847055
  2. Meta-analysis, 2026; 27 studies; patients with dry eye disease: no clear difference. fail to demonstrate consistent effectiveness for DED The effects of different forms of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on dry eye disease resulting from various etiologies: a meta-analysis and systematic reviewPubMed 42304315
  3. Meta-analysis, 2023; 8 studies, 1,107 people; patients with dry eye disease: improves. improvement in the mean change in OSDI score Omega-3 fatty acids in the management of dry eye disease-An updated systematic review and meta-analysisPubMed 36147013
  4. Systematic review, 2022; 10 studies; patients with dry eye disease or ocular surface conditions: improves. promising evidence for improved ocular surface staining Topical Omega-3 Fatty Acids Eyedrops in the Treatment of Dry Eye and Ocular Surface Disease: A Systematic ReviewPubMed 36361942
  5. Meta-analysis, 2019; 17 studies, 3,363 people; patients with dry eye disease: improves. supplementation decreased dry eye symptoms [standardized difference Efficacy of Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation for Treatment of Dry Eye Disease: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical TrialsPubMed 30702470
  6. Systematic review, 2017; 15 studies, 2,591 people; patients with dry eye syndrome: no clear difference. Tear break-up time (TBUT) significantly increased Efficacy of nutritional supplementation with omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in dry eye syndrome: a systematic review of randomized clinical trialsPubMed 28371493
  7. Randomised trial, 2025; 104 people: improves. The mean score of dry eye symptoms was significantly lower in omega-3 Group (4.85 ± … A Randomised Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial of Fish Oil (Omega-3) in Sjögren's Syndrome Patients in Erbil-IraqPubMed 40557177
  8. Randomised trial, 2018; 535 people; patients with moderate-to-severe dry eye disease: no clear difference. mean difference in change after imputation of missing data, -1.9 points n-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation for the Treatment of Dry Eye DiseasePubMed 29652551
  9. Randomised trial, 2015; 478 people; patients with computer vision syndrome related dry eye: improves. alleviating dry eye symptoms, decreasing tear evaporation rate Oral omega-3 fatty acids treatment in computer vision syndrome related dry eyePubMed 25697893
  10. Randomised trial, 2013; 27 people: improves. significantly improved after 8-12 weeks of supplementation Effects of dietary supplementation with fish oil on dry eye syndrome subjects: randomized controlled trialPubMed 24190233

  Automated reading of the published studies (Decosa evidence engine), run 30 Sep 2026. It reads abstracts, can miss studies, and a repeat run can differ.