Hi, Dan. Some think that dry eyes are related to PUFA.

Barry Groves mentions this at his site, Second Opinions.

Introduction

There are many conditions in Western industrialised societies today that were unheard of, or at least very rare, just a century ago. The same conditions are still unheard of in primitive peoples who do not have the 'benefits' of our knowledge. There is a very good reason for this: They eat what Nature intended; we don't. The diseases caused by our incorrect and unnatural diets are those featured on these pages.

Dietary causes:

Excess omega-6 fatty acids from polyunsaturated cooking oils and margarines. Many millions of people in the industrialised countries, predominantly women, suffer from dry eye syndrome, a painful and debilitating eye disease. Dry eye syndrome is characterised by a decline in the quality or quantity of tears that normally bathe the eye to keep it moist and functioning well. The condition causes symptoms such as pain, irritation, and a sandy or gritty sensation. If untreated, severe dry eye syndrome can lead to scarring or ulceration of the cornea, and loss of vision. Victims may experience symptoms so severe that reading, driving, working and other vision-related activities of daily life are difficult or impossible.

In the first study of its kind to examine modifiable risk factors, researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital and Schepens Eye Research Institute, an affiliate of Harvard University Medical School and the largest independent eye research institute in the world, found that the amount, type and ratio of essential fatty acids in the diet may play a key role in dry eye prevention in women. 1

This study set out to examine how changing dietary habits in America, primarily a shift in the balance of essential fatty acids they are consuming, may be associated with onset of this eye disease. What it found was that a high intake of omega-6 fatty acids of the type found in margarines, cooking and salad oils, increased the risk of dry eye syndrome. On the other hand, omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oils and walnuts, reduced the risk, as of course does reducing intakes of vegetable margarines and oils.

References

1 . Miljanovic B, Trivedi KA, Dana MR, et al. Relation between dietary n–3 and n–6 fatty acids and clinically diagnosed dry eye syndrome in women. Am J Clin

Nutr 2005 82: 887-893.

Tracking carb intake would give you exact information.

Here is one source for nutritional info.

We all have different needs and challenges. I eat 20-30g/CHO/d and have the best health I ever have. I have been at this level of carbs since July 2010. No dry eyes at all.

I wish you success in solving the dry eyes. :)

Some days I eat less than 50g of carbs. Some days my eyes feel a little dry. I usually just use eye drops once or twice during the day. Beyond that, I don't give it much thought - so, there may or may not be a connection for me.

What about air quality and computer usage? It has been cool & very dry in my neck of the woods lately and it is killing my eyes. I was rewetting my contact like crazy last week. Also, increase in computer/tv usage is going to dry out your eyes. Are you possibly using the computer a lot at work during the week focusing on tasks, then not so much over the weekend?

Mine were due to a new type of contact. No problems when I just wear my glasses.

Well, dry eyes are a fairly common symptom of lowered thyroid function (hypothyroid), which is a risk when going low carb. If you already had some tendency towards lower thyroid function, then being at only 50 carbs a day could definitely send you over the edge.

Try keeping your carbs at 150g per day, and see not only how your eyes feel, but you may also overall feel more energetic and happy.