Omega-3 Fatty Acids Could Lower Glaucoma Risk

Researchers highlighted how omega-3 fatty acids may decrease glaucoma risk by lowering the IOP, enhancing ocular blood flow, providing neuroprotection and mitigating oxidative stress and inflammation. They also appear to reduce oxidative stress and inflammation, both central to glaucoma pathogenesis. These graphs from the study show the five-year cumulative incidence of outcomes in omega-3 and control groups. Photo: Pan SY, et al. Transl Vis Sci Technol. 2026;15(6):2. Click image to enlarge. Although studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acids may protect retinal ganglion cells and lower intraocular pressure (IOP), it remains unclear whether their use directly decreases the risk of glaucoma development. Researchers based in Taiwan recently conducted a study using a multinational database to examine the comparative risk of glaucoma between individuals with dry eye disease who received omega-3 supplementation and those who did not. By using a large, diverse population and applying a five-year follow-up period, their study reinforced existing evidence suggesting that omega-3 supplementation may offer protective effects against glaucoma.This retrospective cohort study, which was published in Translational Vision Science & Technology, included adults with dry eye disease from a multinational database between 2013 and 2023. A total of 14,168 participants with dry eye were included in the final analysis.Individuals who received omega-3 were classified into the omega-3 group; those who didn’t were controls. The omega-3 and control groups were 1:1 propensity score matched for age, sex, race, smoking status, comorbidities and corticosteroid use. Incident total glaucoma, ocular hypertension, primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), normal-tension glaucoma (NTG), primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) and the use of first-line glaucoma medications were observed across a five-year follow-up period.Compared with the control group, individuals who received omega-3 fatty acid prescriptions experienced lower risks of total glaucoma (hazard ratio; HR: 0.48), ocular hypertension (HR: 0.57), POAG (HR: 0.45), NTG (HR: 0.41), PACG (HR: 0.45) and the use of first-line glaucoma medications (HR: 0.65).The lower risks of ocular hypertension and POAG associated with omega-3 use remained consistent across those aged 60 years or older, women, Caucasian race and other demographic categories.The researchers noted that their findings, derived from an extensive multinational database, reinforce existing evidence suggesting that omega-3 supplementation may offer protective effects against glaucoma.“Although patients prescribed omega-3 supplements might attend more frequent healthcare visits, potentially increasing surveillance and the detection rate of glaucoma, and the control group might include unrecorded over-the-counter users that attenuate the difference between groups, our analysis still revealed a significantly lower risk of glaucoma in the omega-3 cohort,” the study authors wrote in their paper.While the consistency with findings from prior trials and biologic plausibility proposed by animal studies suggests that omega-3 intake may complement existing glaucoma preventive strategies, the research team emphasized that randomized controlled studies are required to confirm causality and define optimal dosing.Click here for the journal source. Pan SY, Sheen YJ, Weng CH, et al. Relationship between omega-3 fatty acids and glaucoma risk in patients with dry eye disease: a multinational retrospective cohort study. Transl Vis Sci Technol. 2026;15(6):2. This article was developed by the editorial staff in conjunction with experts in the field. In the process, AI may have been among the editorial tools used to meet the goals of human editors, who approved all content.