Dry eyes can be quite uncomfortable. A common condition, it happens when your eyes aren't able to produce enough tears and lack lubrication, leading to discomfort like redness, burning sensation, blurred vision, and eye fatigue to name a few.
Dry eyes can occur due to overexposure to screen, being in an air-conditioned room, or in an airplane. Stress can aggravate the condition. Eye drops are usually recommended to treat this condition. However, a study has found an unusual and innovative cure for dry eyes, which can also improve mental health and lower stress hormones.
How laughing can treat dry eyes as per a study
Researchers in China and the UK have found out an unusual approach to treating dry eye which is laughter therapy.
“As a safe, environmentally friendly, and low-cost intervention, laughter exercise could serve as a first-line, home-based treatment for people with symptomatic dry eye disease,” said the authors of a study published Wednesday in the BMJ.
Since laughter therapy helped ease stress, and relieve anxiety and depression, while strengthening the immune system, it can activate immune cells and increase infection-fighting antibodies.
For the study, 283 people who suffered from dry eye disease were involved and divided into two group. One group was given 0.1% sodium hyaluronic acid eye drops while the other group was asked to practice laughter exercise.
Those who were assigned laughter exercise was asked to watch an instructional video and repeating the phrases “Hee hee hee, hah hah hah, cheese cheese cheese, cheek cheek cheek, hah hah hah hah hah hah” 30 times in five minutes four times a day. They used an app to enhance their facial movements.
The other group applied 0.1% sodium hyaluronic acid eye drops to both eyes four times a day.
Benefits of laughter therapy for eyes
After eight weeks of the treatment, it was found that laughter exercise was as effective as eye drops, and even more beneficial for certain eye functions and mental health.
“Laughter exercise might alleviate dry eye disease indirectly by creating a persisting positive effect on lifestyle,” the researchers said.
Symptoms of dry eye included burning eyes, redness, watery eyes, scratchy eyes, blurred vision, and tired eyes. Laughter therapy can improve mood, reduce stress, provide pain relief, and boost mental health among other benefits.
