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Any link between dry eye and high cholesterol?
I am wondering if anyone has noticed any connection between dry eye/MGD and high cholesterol (LDL, the bad one). There doesn't seem to be any good scientific studies on this topic, though some retrospective case studies/anecdotal type info do appear sporadically.
My dry eye/MGD has gotten increasingly worse at the same time my cholesterol has climbed higher and higher. These two conditions could certainly be entirely unrelated. Though it is kind of intriguing to make a connection between the body producing high levels of LDL, the heavier waxier stickier cholesterol, and the heavier waxier stickier meibomium secretions that are part of MGD/dry eye, it doesn't appear that anyone has actually studied this scientifically.
My background with dry eye/MGD: I use Xiidra, hot packs, lid scrubs, single-use eyedrops, erythromycin ointment nightly, oral antibiotics, tried Lipiflow twice, and still have painful red eyes and get continual plugs/infections.
My cholesterol has now climbed to 264 (165 LDL/bad, 87 HDL/good), though the doctor said it didn't need to be treated by her calculation, since I have zero plaque buildup and an excellent HDL/LDL ratio. Still, that's a pretty high LDL/bad number.
Does anyone have any experience with cholesterol and dry eye/MGD? I'd rather not take any cholesterol drugs I didn't have to, but if there might also be a benefit (or detriment) for dry eye/MGD, I'd certainly like to know.
One study noted that some participants say that statins seem to make dry eye worse. I haven't found any info on Repatha, a different type of cholesterol-lowering medication. Anyway, just wondering if anyone has any personal experience with this?
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Also, here’s an excerpt from one study if interested. It’s a retrospective case analysis, which is basically just a survey of all the data out there – it only suggests a direction for further studies. Sorry, it won't let me post a link, but you can google it.
Association of Dry Eye Disease with Dyslipidemia and Statin Use
“Studies have shown that the meibum of individuals with MGD has an increased concentration of cholesterol esters, likely resulting in a higher melting point, increased viscosity, and a propensity toward meibomian gland obstruction. While it is plausible that systemic lipid abnormalities may be associated with abnormalities of tear film lipids, no studies have specifically examined this relationship in detail.”
“Previously reported case-control studies support the association of elevated total cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL with MGD or DED. As well, one study found an association of elevated LDL/triglycerides with more severe MGD. However, in these studies, individuals on lipid-lowering therapy were specifically excluded, limiting this potential confounder but disallowing its evaluation. Another population-based study of 5,627 Korean adults found an association of elevated total cholesterol and LDL with DED in women only. Conflicting results have been found in regard to HDL levels and MGD/DED. In contrast, a population-based study of 3,280 Malay persons in Singapore showed an inverse relationship between LDL and MGD and no significant association with other lipid parameters. A recent analysis of data from subjects in the Blue Mountains Eye Study found no association between hypercholesterolemia and DED; however, oral statin use was associated with moderate to severe DED symptoms based on a questionnaire. ”
Welcome, @sundew404. I added your question to the Heart & Blood Health group as well. Here is the link to the study you quoted:
- Association of Dry Eye Disease with Dyslipidemia and Statin Use https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8034500/
Are there any lifestyle changes that you can add, like dietary considerations or exercise, that would help lower your cholesterol?
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