Is Low Dose Naltrexone used to Treat Dry Eyes, Macular Degeneration or Sjogren's?

Answered by LDN Specialist Pharmacist Dr Sam Lebsock
Dr. Sam Lebsock and Pharmacist Michelle Moser

Is Low Dose Naltrexone used to Treat Dry Eyes, Macular Degeneration or Sjogren's?

Does Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) drops in concentrations of 0.002 percent work for macular degeneration or dry eyes?   Yes,  I've seen the concentration of 0.2 percent used with eye drops that would be 0.2 percent. I've seen this other concentration used for macular degeneration or for dry eyes. It would be a sterile eye drop that's being compounded to reduce the inflammation associated with macular degeneration and it can help slow that process because of the reduction in the inflammation.  Anytime you reduce the inflammation then you're going to have better flow of tears and less dry eye.  Sometimes there is a deficiency of vitamin B6.  Vibecause B6 is integral in the formation of our tears.  Every time we blink the tear goes over our eye and as it follows the eye it starts to break up.  By the time it hits the bottom of the eye if you don't have enough B6 it's literally in fragments and your eye feels super dry.  If you have enough B6 in your body and women burn up more B6 than men do but you can supplement.  If you have enough B6 then that tear forms a really nice coating on the eye and you have less issues.