It’s long been said that laughter is the best medicine…maybe even for your eyes.
Research has shown that laughter can be just as effective as eye drops for dry eyes.
Researchers say it could be prescribed as an alternative treatment for the condition that causes red, itchy eyes and affects around one in seven Britons.
Laughter has been linked to a number of health benefits, from reducing stress and chronic pain to boosting the immune system.
Scientists from the United Kingdom and China wanted to investigate the effectiveness and safety of laughter exercises in patients with dry eye symptoms.
A study has shown that laughter can be as effective as eye drops when it comes to dry eyes
Researchers suggest it could be prescribed as an alternative treatment for the condition that causes red, itchy eyes and affects around one in seven Britons
The study involved 283 people aged 18 to 45 who had been diagnosed with the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), a score favoured by the NHS.
They were given sodium hyaluronic acid eye drops four times a day for eight weeks or were assigned to a laughter exercise group for the same period.
After watching an instructional video, the laughter group was asked to repeat phrases including “Hee, hee, hee,” “hah,hah,hah,” and “cheese, cheese, cheese.”
They performed this exercise 30 times in a five-minute session, using a mobile app with facial recognition to standardize the exercise and improve facial movements.
Both treatments were discontinued after eight weeks and any changes in ocular surface discomfort scores were measured at weeks ten and twelve.
The average OSDI score was 10.5 points lower after eight weeks, indicating less discomfort in the laughter exercise group, and 8.83 points lower for those using eye drops, indicating it was more effective.
Laughter exercises also showed significant improvements in other aspects of eye health, such as moisture levels after blinking, the functioning of the sebaceous glands that help prevent tears from evaporating too quickly, and overall mental health.
The authors from the University of Belfast and Sun Yatsen University in China wrote in the BMJ that it could be a cheap and effective alternative to drops.
They added: ‘Laughter is a safe, environmentally friendly and inexpensive intervention and may serve as a first-line treatment at home for people with symptomatic dry eye syndrome and limited corneal staining.’