Laughter therapy eases dry eyes

WE'VE all heard people shouting "Ho, Ho, Ha, Ha, Ha" in parks, and when we follow the sounds, we often disW cover it's part of a laughter exercise.

- VENNAPUSALA RAMYA

While these exercises are widely associated with health benefits, a study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) has taken it a step further, revealing that laughter exercises can be just as effective as standard treatments like hyaluronic acid drops in alleviating the symptoms of dry eye disease. Let's dive deeper into the findings with insights from experts.

Dry eye, or keratoconjunctivitis sicca, is a common condition where the eyes either don't produce enough tears or the tears don't function properly. Dr Sushma Reddy Katukuri, Consultant in Pediatric Ophthalmology at Rainbow Children's Hospital, explains that while dry eyes are more common with age, especially in postmenopausal women, they can also be linked to systemic conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, Sjögren's syndrome, and thyroid disorders.

Additional contributors include eyelid diseases, long-term contact lens use, and post-refractive eye surgery. In recent years, prolonged screen exposure has become another significant factor.