Dry eye disease (DED) is a chronic condition that affects an estimated 360 million people worldwide, causing discomfort in the form of irritated, red, and scratchy eyes. While eye drops remain the standard treatment, a recent clinical trial published by The BMJ has uncovered an unexpected alternative: laughter therapy. Researchers from China and the UK suggest that this innovative, non-invasive approach could be just as effective as traditional artificial tears in treating the symptoms of DED.
The Study: Exploring Laughter as a Remedy
In this groundbreaking study, 283 participants aged 18-45 were recruited to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of laughter exercises. All participants suffered from symptomatic dry eye disease, with Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) scores ranging from 18 to 80, and tear film break-up times of eight seconds or less, meaning their eyes were not maintaining moisture effectively.
The participants were divided into two groups: one group performed laughter exercises, while the control group used 0.1% sodium hyaluronic acid eye drops (artificial tears) four times daily for eight weeks. The primary goal of the study was to assess the change in OSDI scores—a higher score indicates greater discomfort, while a lower score indicates improvement. Secondary outcomes included improvements in tear break-up time, meibomian gland function (oil glands in the eyelids that prevent rapid evaporation of tears), and mental health scores.
The laughter group followed a specific exercise regimen: they viewed an instructional video and repeated phrases like "Hee hee hee, hah hah hah" and "cheese cheese cheese" for five-minute sessions, vocalizing these phrases 30 times per session. The simplicity of this routine made it easy for participants to integrate into their daily lives.
Promising Results: Laughter is No Joke
At the end of the eight-week trial, both the laughter and control groups experienced improvements in dry eye symptoms. However, the results for the laughter therapy group were especially noteworthy. Their OSDI scores dropped by an average of 10.5 points, compared to 8.83 points in the control group. While the difference between the two groups (1.45 points) might seem small, the trial demonstrated that laughter therapy was not inferior to eye drops in relieving DED symptoms.
In addition to reducing discomfort, laughter therapy showed a significant improvement in non-invasive tear break-up time (the amount of time it takes for the first dry spot to appear on the cornea after blinking). The laughter group had a mean improvement of 2.30 seconds, compared to the control group. Improved meibomian gland function was also observed in the laughter group, indicating that the eyes’ natural ability to maintain moisture was enhanced.
Furthermore, participants who engaged in laughter therapy reported improvements in mental health. Given the well-documented benefits of laughter for emotional well-being, this additional outcome wasn’t entirely surprising but certainly adds to the holistic advantages of laughter therapy.
Safety and Feasibility
Importantly, no adverse events were reported in either group. While the control group experienced the typical benefits of using artificial tears, laughter therapy offered the same level of relief without the need for a pharmaceutical product. This makes it a cost-effective, natural, and accessible alternative for managing dry eye disease.
While more research is necessary to confirm these findings in a larger population and over longer periods, the results of this trial pave the way for laughter therapy to be considered as an initial treatment for DED. It also suggests that patients who prefer non-pharmaceutical interventions or those who experience side effects from eye drops may benefit from incorporating laughter into their treatment plans.
This trial highlights the potential of laughter as a treatment option for dry eye disease. It’s not just a feel-good activity; it could also be a legitimate form of therapy for millions of people suffering from DED. The study’s results demonstrate that laughter exercises can improve both the physical symptoms of dry eye and the mental well-being of patients, offering a natural, safe, and enjoyable alternative to traditional treatments.
As research into laughter therapy continues, it may soon become a mainstream recommendation for patients with dry eye disease, adding yet another benefit to the well-known health advantages of laughter.
Reference:
1. Li, Jing, Yinglin Liao, Shi-Yao Zhang, Ling Jin, Nathan Congdon, Zixin Fan, Yangfa Zeng, et al. 2024. “Effect of laughter exercise versus 0.1% sodium hyaluronic acid on ocular surface discomfort in dry eye disease: non-inferiority randomised controlled trial.” BMJ, September, e080474. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2024-080474.
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(Rehash/Ankur Deka/MSM)