Baseline characteristics between the control and omega-3 groups
| Control group (n=34) (artificial tears without rTG form of omega-3) | Omega-3 group (n=32) (artificial tears with rTG form of omega-3) | P value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years) | 66.28±15.14 | 64.56±11.96 | 0.135 |
| Sex (women, %) | 22 (64.7%) | 20 (62.5%) | 0.195 |
| TBUT (s) | 3.71±1.66 | 3.40±1.20 | 0.386 |
| Schirmer’s test (mm) | 9.56±5.97 | 9.97±7.09 | 0.958 |
| Oxford score | 0.94±0.65 | 1.16±1.05 | 0.534 |
| OSDI score | 13.15±8.98 | 24.06±12.58 | <0.001 |
| DEQ score | 7.59±3.88 | 13.13±5.30 | <0.001 |
| MMP-9 grade, negative/positive (trace/weak/positive/strong) | 9/25 (20/1/2/2) | 12/20 (14/2/1/3) | 0.430 |
DEQ, Dry Eye Questionnaire; MMP-9, matrix metalloproteinase-9; OSDI, Ocular Surface Disease Index; rTG, re-esterified triglyceride; TBUT, tear break-up time. Bold values denote statistical significance at the p < 0.05 level.