New evidence
A probiotic reduced dry eye symptom scores in a 68-person trial — but the effects were tied to a single strain and haven't been replicated yet.
This is the first controlled trial linking Streptococcus thermophilus iHA318 to dry eye relief, so while the results are promising, they come from a small, single study that needs independent confirmation before you can count on it.
In a double-blind randomized trial, people taking the probiotic Streptococcus thermophilus iHA318 showed improvements in tear production, tear stability, and symptom scores compared to placebo, along with reduced inflammation markers. However, with only 68 participants and no prior studies on this specific strain for dry eye, this is an early finding — not yet a settled recommendation.
Where this fits in the evidence
This is among the first studies we've indexed on Streptococcus thermophilus SL-21 for Improved Dry Eye Symptoms — treat it as an early signal until more research accumulates.
The study
- Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT)
- n = 68
- 2025-04-10
- Biomedicines
This is a plain-language summary of a research finding, not medical advice. Pillser surfaces research signals to help you decide what's worth investigating — always consult a qualified professional before changing what you take.