The season of increasingly dry air and cold winds has arrived. Both 'dry' and 'cold' air are the worst for the eyes. The tear film covering the surface of the eyes evaporates, causing a cold, gritty foreign body sensation. Symptoms such as redness or blurred vision may also occur. Applying artificial tears can alleviate these symptoms. However, artificial tears are vulnerable to contamination, and recently, microplastics have even been detected in them. For those who feel uneasy about using artificial tears or for everyone who currently has no artificial tears available, a new research finding offers good news. Simply smiling can relieve dry eye symptoms as effectively as artificial tears.

◇ Smiling in the order of hips, cheeks, and cheese relieves dry eyes.

A recent study published in the British Medical Journal found that laughter exercises produce effects similar to artificial tears containing 0.1% sodium hyaluronate, which improves dry eye syndrome. The ophthalmology research team at Sun Yat-sen University in China divided 299 adults with mild dry eye syndrome into two groups: a laughter exercise group (149 people) and an artificial tear application group (150 people). For eight weeks, the laughter group performed the exercise four times daily, speaking phrases such as "Hee hee hee, Ha ha ha ha, Cheese cheese cheese, Cheeks cheeks cheeks, Ha ha ha ha ha ha" 30 times each for at least five minutes, while the artificial tear group applied tears to both eyes. During the exercise, a customized facial recognition app tracked whether participants were actually performing the exercises. Follow-up examinations were conducted at weeks 8, 10, and 12 after the start of the experiment. The results showed that both groups experienced similar improvements in dry eye symptoms, with laughter exercises showing a slightly better effect. The ocular surface disease index decreased significantly in both groups: by 10.5 points in the laughter group and by 8.83 points in the artificial tear group. At the 12-week mark, the proportion of participants with a reduction of more than 10 points in the ocular surface disease index was similar—49.3% in the laughter group and 47.3% in the control group. The research team stated, "Both groups experienced no side effects," and added, "Considering safety, environmental friendliness, and low cost, laughter exercises could serve as a primary treatment for individuals with mild dry eye syndrome."

 

◇Laughter exercise stimulates the muscles around the eyes, stimulating tear and oil glands

What could possibly be the reason this was possible? Dr. Kim Kyun-hyung of Central Seoul Eye Clinic said, "Our eyes have several glands that supply moisture and oil, and it seems that when we do laughter exercises, the muscles around the eyes contract, squeezing the glands. It's an interesting method that can help patients with mild dry eye syndrome."

However, it may not be very effective for patients with severe dry eye syndrome. Even if artificial tears are used frequently in daily life, persistent dry eye symptoms can be considered severe. The eyes feel more than just gritty; they are stinging, and there is a foreign body sensation as if sand is rolling around. Patients with severe dry eye syndrome should visit a hospital for treatment. If not treated promptly, the opening of the oil glands can become blocked, leading to destruction of the oil glands or the development of neuropathy. Patients with insufficient aqueous layers may undergo punctal occlusion to block the tear drainage ducts, while those with insufficient lipid layers may undergo IPL, light therapy, or LipiFlow. IPL is a treatment that melts and expresses the oil to restore normal oil flow, and LipiFlow involves applying heat to the eyes to facilitate oil secretion.

 

To prevent, you should turn your eyes away from the monitor every 30 minutes.

Efforts to alleviate dry eye symptoms should be combined with preventive measures for faster improvement. To prevent dry eyes, avoid overusing your eyes all day. When looking at a monitor, it is recommended to take a break every 30 minutes, even if only for 1-2 minutes, by closing your eyes or pausing monitor activities. Eyelid cleansing is necessary to wash out the oil-producing glands through proper cleaning. Doing this once in the morning and once before bed is sufficient. Maintain indoor humidity above 60%, and drinking water frequently to stay hydrated is helpful. It is also important to get 7 to 8 hours of sleep.

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◇ Smiling in the order of hips, cheeks, and cheese relieves dry eyes.

You need to move the muscles around the anus.

It seems to help alleviate dry eyes.