Laughter could be used as a first line, home based treatment for people with symptomatic dry eye, according to a new study from China.
Participants in the study, published in The BMJ, were randomised to receive laughter therapy or 0.1% sodium hyaluronic acid eyedrops four times daily for eight weeks.
The laughter exercise group vocalised 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.
The 299 people in the study were aged 18–45 years and had symptomatic dry eye disease with ocular surface disease index scores ranging from 18 to 80 and tear film break-up time of eight seconds or less.
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.
“The laughter exercise was non-inferior to 0.1% sodium hyaluronic acid in relieving subjective symptoms in patients with dry eye disease with limited corneal staining over eight weeks intervention,” the study authors concluded.
“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.”
Reference
Li J, Liao Y, Zhang S, et al. Effect of laughter exercise versus 0.1% sodium hyaluronic acid on ocular surface discomfort in dry eye disease: non-inferiority randomised controlled trial BMJ 2024; 386 :e080474 doi: 10.1136/bmj-2024-080474.