Laughing may be as effective as drops for treating dry eyes, according to a new study.

Laughter should be the “go to” treatment for relieving symptoms of the common condition, say Chinese scientists.

Their findings, published by The BMJ, are the latest in a series of recent studies to suggest that there may be some truth in the old adage that “laughter is the best medicine.”

The Chinese research team say that laughter exercise could in future be an initial treatment for relieving symptoms of dry eye disease which is estimated to affect around 360 million people worldwide.

Common symptoms include uncomfortable, red, scratchy or irritated eyes.

Increasing evidence suggests that laughter therapy alleviates depression, anxiety, stress, and chronic pain, while strengthening immune function.

It is recognized as a beneficial complementary and add-on treatment for various chronic conditions, including mental health disorders, cancer, and diabetes.

But, until now, it was not known whether laughter therapy has a beneficial effect on dry eye disease.

Researchers from China and the UK set out to assess the effectiveness and safety of laughter exercise in patients with symptoms of dry eye disease.

Their findings were based on 283 participants aged 18 to 45,average age 29, who were assessed for dry eye disease using the ocular surface disease index (OSDI) score.

The participants were randomly assigned to receive laughter exercise or 0.1% sodium hyaluronic acid eye drops four times a day for eight weeks.

Participants with existing eye conditions, injury, infection or allergy, and those who had recently used contact lenses or any dry eye disease treatment were excluded.

The laughter exercise group watched an instructional video and were asked to vocalize and repeat the phrases “Hee hee hee, hah hah hah, cheese cheese cheese, cheek cheek cheek, hah hah hah hah hah hah” 30 times per five minute session.

A face recognition mobile app was used to standardize the exercise and enhance facial movements.

The eye drop group applied 0.1% sodium hyaluronic acid eye drops to both eyes four times a day for eight weeks, tracking their usage frequency via the same app.

Both treatments were stopped at eight weeks and any change in eye surface discomfort scores were measured at weeks 10 and 12.

Study author Dr. Lingyi Liang, of Sun Yat-sen University, said the average OSDI score at eight weeks was 10.5 points lower – indicating less discomfort – in the laughter exercise group and 8.83 lower in the control group, with a mean difference of −1.45 points.

She said the findings suggest that laughter exercise was no less effective than eye drops.

Dr. Liang said: “Laughter exercise also showed significant improvements in non-invasive tear break up time – time taken for the first dry spot to appear on the cornea after a blink, meibomian gland function – oil glands that help prevent tears from evaporating too quickly, and mental health scores.

“No adverse events were noted in either study group.”

The researchers say some limitations may have influenced the results, but the findings suggest that laughter exercise was non-inferior to sodium hyaluronic acid in improving dry eye disease symptoms and clinical signs.

Dr. Liang added: “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 and limited corneal staining.”

A study presented at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress in Vienna, Austria, earlier this week suggested that clowns help sick kids get better quicker.

French researchers found that youngsters seriously ill in hospital with pneumonia made a faster recovery after a visit from the face-painted entertainers.

They can also reduce the duration of intravenous antibiotic use, according to the study.

Produced in association with SWNS Talker