fatty acid
Essential Nutritional Fat
Plain-language definition
Building blocks of fats important for cell function. Omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil have anti-inflammatory effects beneficial for dry eye.
Where this term comes up
“Changing the fatty acid composition of meibum (gland oil)”
Medication · Doxycycline
“Omega-3 fatty acids - fish oil or flaxseed oil supplements may support tear quality”
“Omega-3 fatty acids - evidence is mixed (a large clinical trial found uncertain benefit for dry eye symptoms)”
Condition · Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD)
- Category
- Specialty term
- Also written as
- fatty acids
Specialty terms connect eye care with neurology, endocrinology, rheumatology, infectious disease, or other fields involved in vision care.
Related glossary terms
A note on medical context
A glossary definition can explain a word, but it cannot tell you whether a symptom or test result is serious. If this term came from an article, use the full article and your clinician's guidance for context.