Sea buckthorn oil treats dry eyes

According to a recent dissertation, sea buckthorn oil helps alleviate the symptoms of dry eyes caused by ageing, contact lenses or low humidity. Several components of sea buckthorn oil act as antioxidants, having proven effects on inflammation. Taking sea buckthorn oil is a potential nutritional way of treating dry eyes and inflammation.

In a randomized double-blind experiment, hundred men and women between the ages of 20 and 75 suffering from dry eyes digested a two-gram daily dosage of either SBA24® sea buckthorn oil or placebo oil for a period of three months. The symptoms of the test subjects were evaluated during the trial via clinical tests, surveys and diaries.

The trial, which took place in the fall and winter, discovered that sea buckthorn oil alleviated the symptoms caused by cooler weather and dryness of the air. The increase in the osmolarity of tears was milder in the group taking sea buckthorn oil than in the placebo group. According to the trial diaries, the group taking sea buckthorn oil felt that the maximum symptoms of redness and burning sensation in the eye had decreased. Users of contact lenses in the sea buckthorn group reported fewer days with eye symptoms than the placebo group. The results indicate that sea buckthorn helps alleviate the symptoms of dry eyes.

Most likely the effects of sea buckthorn oil are based on the alleviation of the inflammation maintaining dryness in the eyes. The bioactive compounds of the sea buckthorn oil coming from the seeds and the fruit pulp control the inflammation.
(Source: Larmo P. et al. 2010)

Besides the valuable fatty acids; Omega-3, -6, -7 and -9, sea buckthorn oil also includes vitamin E and vitamin A (from beta-carotene). Vitamin A contributes to the maintenance of normal skin, mucous membranes and vision.