Flax seed oil

What are people's opinions on the use of flax seed oil as a means of
enhancing a potentially deficient tear film, for either contact lens
compatibility or for post-surgery eye dryness? I have been taking
2000mg (in capsule form) per day for several months, after reading a
couple of recommendations in the archives of this newsgroup and other
places, but am not sure if it is really making a difference or if it
is worth the cost. When I went to see my dermatologist the other day,
he told me it is a waste of money, and that because it is not FDA
regulated, you never know what the quality will be.

Lothar

 

I am not lacking tear volume, at least according to the Schirmer's
test my last ophthalmologist did on me. It's possible that my tear
*composition* is abnormal--I don't really know because nobody's done a
TBUT. I intend to request one, one of these days, if my doc concurs.
It is very possible that I simply don't blink enough or that my eyes
don't close fully when I blink.

My lenses seem to get coated with oily deposits from time to time. I
have tried preservative-free artificial tears, but they only provide a
few minutes of relief from the various symptoms I've experienced
(feelings of dryness, blurred vision). I'm now using AMO
Blink-N-Clean, hoping that this will help keep my contacts clean while
they are in my eye (as it has been shown to do in in vitro
experiments), and it seems to do as good a job at providing temporary
relief as any other drops I've tried.

As for blepharitis, that is something that two different
ophthalmologists have told me that I *may* have, but I have a feeling
they are mainly saying that as a diagnosis of exclusion because they
can't come up with another likely explanation. I don't have the
classic visible symptoms of blepharitis, and lid scrubs did nothing
for me. My ophthalmologist also told me he thought I had rosacea, but
my dermatologist does not agree.

Lothar

 

Just to clarify what my dermatologist said... He did not mean to imply
that flax seed oil has no value--only that taking it is capsule form
is a waste of money and it's better to get it from eating the right
foods. Since I don't think I'd be able/willing to change my diet
enough to ingest that quantity of additional omega-3/6 fatty acids on
a regular basis, I prefer to take it as a supplement, assuming it is
useful in my case at all.

Lothar

 

What about just using ground flax seed? I often make oatmeal in the
morning. I grind up a couple of tablespoons of flax seed in an old coffee
grinder and toss it in the oatmeal after it's cooked. Not to everyone's
taste to be sure but I quite like it.

 

Lothar, as I continue to await my neuro visit with increasing anxiety,
may I ask if you have had the all the routine sed rate, antibody tests
ect. to rule out systemic causes of eye discomfort?
Pardon me if you've discussed this already and I missed it.

Margaret

 

I'm a flax seed proponent for both dry eyes and blepharitis conditions.
It does take some time to see results but I have quite a few patients
that have been quite successful with omega-3 supplementation.

frank

 

Are you a male or female? If you're a male, have you ever taken the drug
finasteride (Propecia or Proscar)? If yes, this may be the cause of your
dry eyes.

--

 

There is an organization that does independent testing of suppliments,
including flax seed oil capsules. They can at least point you to
brands that contain what is on the label.

http://www.consumerlab.com

-sb

 

Most authorities seem to agree that omega 3's from fish oil have more
potent anti-inflammatory action. Theratears Nutrition contains fish oil.
Flax oil is probably more palatable and won't "talk back," like fish oil.

DrG

 

I'm male, and am not taking finasteride, nor any other drug. Thanks
for the idea though!

Lothar

 

Thanks very much for your ideas, Francine and Jane. I don't think I
want to make my intake of omega-3's any more complicated than it is
now (by diet changes, for example--I'm pretty set in my ways regarding
how I eat), especially when I am not sure if it is even making a
difference in my eyes. I'm content to keep taking the gel capsules,
if I can get a sense for whether they are of any value, or perhaps
adding a teaspoon (or tablespoon?) of liquid oil to my food every day,
if the stuff keeps as well as capsules on the shelf.

Lothar

 

I have not had any blood tests specifically aimed at diagnosing my eye
issues. I assume that one of my two ophthalmologists would have
ordered them if they saw any indications for them. I do have whatever
blood tests my regular doctor orders when I get my regular physicals
(I can't recall which tests specifically), and have never been told
that anything is out of the ordinary.

Lothar

 

Thanks, Frank. You and the other people who have responded are making
me inclined to continue taking flax seed oil. Whether or not it is
making any difference in my eyes, I suppose it can't hurt anything
(except my wallet) to keep taking it.

Now I just have to figure out what is the best dose to take, either in
capsule or liquid form. Any suggestions?

Lothar

 

Thanks, sqrrlbird, that was a very useful website! I am definitely
going to use that, next time I try to decide which brand of flaxseed
oil to buy.

Lothar

 

I suppose the question is whether capsules give you the same quality
of oils as you would get in the same quantity of some other source of
oil. Looking at the website that sqrrlbird posted earlier in this
thread, it seems pretty clear that not all flaxseed oil capsules are
the same! If the Trader Joe's capsules only have half as much
alpha-linolenic acid as a brand that costs, say, 50% more (and I'm not
saying that they do), then that would hardly be a bargain. I would
gladly pay more money for a capsule that is more potent or more
effective.

Thanks for the price info though!

Lothar