Dietary omega 3 fatty acids decrease intraocular pressure with age by increasing aqueous outflow

Abstract

PURPOSE. To determine whether there is an association between dietary omega-3 (ω-3) fatty acid intake, age, and intraocular pressure (IOP) caused by altered aqueous outflow. METHODS. Sprague-Dawley rats were fed either ω-3-sufficient (ω-3+) or ω-3-deficient (ω-3-) diets from conception. The diets had 7% lipid content. The ω-3+ diet contained safflower, flaxseed, and tuna oils (5.5:1.0:0.5), and the ω-3- diet contained safflower oil only. Intraocular pressure was measured at 5 to 40 weeks of age under light anesthesia (ω-3+, n = 39; ω-3-, n = 48). Aqueous outflow was determined at 45 weeks in a subgroup of animals (ω-3+, n = 15; ω-3-, n = 22) using pulsed infusion. Ciliary body tissues (n = 6..