A novel dietary supplement of lutein, zeaxanthin isomers, curcumin, and vitamin D3 (LCD) demonstrates therapeutic potential as a once-daily treatment for patients with dry eye disease (DED) in a recent randomized clinical trial Did.1
DED affects millions of adults worldwide and causes symptoms that cause a wide range of morbidity. To address this issue, this unique nutritional supplement achieved statistically significant improvements in ocular symptom severity and tear production in DED.
“These data suggest that taking this new once-daily nutritional supplement may help address the key underlying causes of dry eye and restore tear film homeostasis.” ,” Neido Gioia, MD, CNS, president of the Ocular Wellness & Nutrition Society, said in a statement. .2 “This could represent a significant opportunity for consumers looking for options when it comes to long-term dry eye symptom relief.”
DED, a multifactorial disease, is characterized by loss of homeostasis, leading to a cycle of tear film instability, tear hyperosmolarity, and inflammation, leading to an inflammatory response.3 Artificial tears are the main therapeutic approach and are usually used for long periods of time, indicating the chronic nature of the disease.
Lifestyle changes are also the first step in reducing the effects of DED symptoms and include improving your overall health through proper sleep, hydration, and nutrition. Oral nutritional supplementation is supported by increasing evidence based on its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects on the pathophysiology of DED.Four
This multicomponent supplement formulation composed of LCD achieved protective and anti-inflammatory properties in recent ophthalmological models.1 In this prospective, randomized, double-blind, parallel, placebo-controlled study, researchers evaluated the efficacy and safety of a multi-ingredient supplement in a large group of adult participants with DED.
Adult participants with clinically diagnosed DED were randomly assigned to receive LCD supplement capsules (20 mg lutein, 4 mg zeaxanthin isomers, curcumin 200 mg curcuminoids, 600 IU vitamin D3) or a placebo per day for 8 weeks. Ta. Participants took one capsule at the same time after meals each morning for 56 days.
A total of 155 adult participants with mild dry eye symptoms were randomized to receive 1 capsule (n = 77) or a placebo (n = 78) capsule per day for 56 days. The amount of artificial tears used was measured. Primary efficacy endpoints, change in tear volume (Schirmer test), and ocular symptoms (Ocular Surface Disease Index) [OSDI]) were assessed at baseline, days 14, 28, and 56.
The trial met its primary endpoint, demonstrating significantly better Schirmer test scores than placebo in the daily dietary supplement cohort at day 56 (P both <.001). By day 14, the total OSDI score, including symptoms and visual domains, had significantly improved from baseline in the LCD cohort (P <.05 (all)), maintained until day 56 (P <.001).
Regarding key secondary endpoints, the LCD cohort demonstrated significantly improved tear film rupture time (TBUT) and tear film osmolality by day 56 compared to placebo (P <.001). Other secondary endpoints include significant improvement in corneal and conjunctival staining (P both <.001) and inflammation (P <.001 in each eye) within the LCD group.
Additionally, there were also significant changes in the Total Standardized Patient Evaluation of Xerophthalmia (SPEED) scores, with scores in the frequency and severity domains significantly improving by day 14 for LCD vs. placebo (P <.05 (all)), maintained until day 56 (P <.001).
Safety data revealed that this dietary supplement was well tolerated, with no serious adverse events reported during the study. Because participants were allowed to use artificial tears throughout the study period, the researchers confirmed that there were no differences between the groups regarding the use of artificial tears.
The supplement’s manufacturer, Bausch & Lomb Corporation, has announced that it plans to launch its proprietary blend of ingredients as Blink Nutritia in the U.S. in the third quarter of 2024.
“More than 150 million people in the United States experience dry eye,” Dr. Yehir Hashad, Bausch & Lomb’s executive vice president of research and development and chief medical officer, said in a statement. “We believe Blink NutriTears offers a new nutritional option that can reduce dry eye symptoms in just two to four weeks.”
References
- Gioia N, Gerson J, Ryan R, Barber K, Poteet J, Jennings B, Sharp M, Rowley R, Wilson J, Molde A, Lai D, Padigal M and Perriman LM (2024) Novel multi-ingredient supplements treat ocular symptoms. Significantly improved symptom severity and tear volume in patients with dry eye disease: Results of a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial. front. Ophthalmology. 4:1362113. doi: 10.3389/fopht.2024.1362113
- Bausch & Lomb announced statistically significant results from a clinical study of a new daily nutritional supplement for dry eye. Bausch & Lomb news release. April 25, 2024. Accessed May 2, 2024. https://www.bausch.com/news/?id=206.
- Shepherd J, Shen Li B, Perriman LM. Dry eye disease: identification and treatment strategies for primary care clinicians and clinical professionals. an med. 2023;55(1):241-252. doi:10.1080/07853890.2022.2157477
- Pellegrini M, Senni C, Bernabei F, et al. The role of nutrition and dietary supplements in ocular surface diseases. nutrients. 2020;12(4):952. Published March 30, 2020. doi:10.3390/nu12040952
