Comparison of omega-3 nutraceutical dietary supplement verses topical eye drops for the treatment of dry eye after phacoemulsification

Objective: To compare the effect of omega-3 dietary supplement vs topical conventional eye drops for the treatment of dry eye disease induced after un-complicated phacoemulsification Methods: The study involved 42 cataract patients over 40 who developed dry eye after phacoemulsification surgery. Participants were divided into two groups: the treatment group received omega-3 fish oil supplementation (1000 mg) along with standard postoperative care, while the control group was given conventional eye drops (artificial tears) for 3 months. Objective assessments (Schirmer test and TBUT) and subjective OSDI questionnaires were used to evaluate dry eye symptoms at 1 week, 1 month, 2 months, and 3 months post-surgery. Patients with pre-existing dry eye, ocular diseases, or systemic conditions like diabetes or hyperlipidemia were excluded. Results: The mean pre-treatment values of all three tests improved significantly in both groups after 3 months. After 3 months of treatment the control group exhibited a mean OSDI score of 24.55(SD=1.92), compared to 19.20 (SD = 1.91) in the treatment group, though this difference was not statistically significant (t = -1.972, p = 0.923). This trend continued throughout for other two objective tests Schirmer test (t = 1.149, p = 0.289) and TBUT (t = 0.901, p = 1.032), where t-tests consistently yielded p-values above 0.05, suggesting no statistically significant divergence in tear production between groups. Conclusion: In conclusion, topical conventional eye drops and omega-3 dietary supplements (fish oil) both appear promising for the management of dry eye illness after unfussy phacoemulsification surgery.