Dry eye syndrome in women may be linked to their intake of dietary fat. But consuming foods rich in omega-3 -- such as tuna -- may reduce dry eye risk by 68 percent, according to a new U.S. study.Dry eye syndrome, a painful and debilitating eye disease, affects more than eight million people in the United States, predominately women. The syndrome is characterized by a decline in the quality or quantity of tears that normally bathe the eyes to keep them moist. Symptoms of dry eye include pain, irritation, dryness and/or a sandy, gritty sensation.Left untreated, dry eye can eventually result in scarring or ulceration of the cornea, and loss of vision.In the study, researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) and the Schepens Eye Research Institute, both in Boston, analyzed data from surveys of more than 37,000 women enrolled in the BWH-based Women’s Health Study.
